Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige
No salary increment for government workers yet, as FG clarifies on promise
Federal Government, Friday, distanced itself from an earlier promise to civil and public servants across the country of a salary increase, as it claimed the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, was quoted out of context by State House Correspondents on the matter.
The development has dashed the hopes of Federal civil servant across the country who had hoped for a raise on the back of the assurances by the Minister last week.
In a clarification issued by Head, Press and Public Relations unit of the Labour and Employment ministry, Mr. Olajide Oshundun in Abuja, Friday night, the Federal Government said the minister, Ngige, did not promise a pay rise for workers, but instead referred to remunerations and emoluments of the affected workers, especially the civil servants.
“The Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS) through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) received recommendations for review of allowances of many Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government. Because salary component is not being reviewed for now by the committee, it addressed the allowances component of the requests, including the peculiar allowance for Federal Civil Servants amongst others,” Oshundun noted.
He added that in Labour parlance, ‘as par payment for compensation for work done, remuneration or emoluments make up salary component and earned allowance component.’
“Therefore, the Federal Government through the PCS could not have engaged on the review of salaries without involving the workers through their Unions, represented by the two Labour Federations of workers in Nigeria; the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC). “Salary review or renegotiation is part of social dialogue and the product is usually a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) agreed to by both parties – employers and employees.
“Ngige claimed he made it clear to the Press Corp that it is still a work in progress and that the end-product of this review of allowances will be submitted to Mr President for consideration and final approval, and that this was one of the Labour issues he briefed him on, that day.
“It is hoped that this rightful step, which the Federal Government had embarked upon on compassionate grounds without any prodding or threat to strike, will help to cushion the debilitating effects of spiraling inflation, especially that which affects food and energy prices (electricity and petroleum product),” the spokesperson said.
According to Ngige, the committee is optimistic that President Muhamadu Buhari will receive and consider the recommendations before the end of the first quarter in 2023.
