Civil servants deny pay rise, say it is allowance payment
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Federal civil servants have poured cold water on claim by Abuja they are being paid 40 per cent salary increase to cushion the effects of inflation and motivate them to remain in their jobs.
Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) President Tommy Okon said the federal government did not approve any pay rise for civil servants, insisting people are only causing tension where none exists.
“The purported report about pay rise is all about misinformation. What government has done is to ensure the harmonisation of what agencies earn in the core civil service. That is those on the consolidated public civil salary structure,” Okon told Vanguard.
“What these core civil servants earn has been very low compared to what other agencies earn. In an attempt to bridge the gap, looking at the socio-economic challenges, the government decided to give what they called a peculiar allowance. That is the purported 40 per cent.
“If you look at this allowance, it is not taxed because it is targeted at solving a particular problem, hence it is called peculiar allowance. It is only for the agencies of government that are on the consolidated public civil salary structure.
“There is nothing like a 40 per cent pay rise. The issue of pay rise will come up next year, 2024, which will mark the fifth year of the current National Minimum Wage. You cannot just wake up one day and get a pay rise, a pay rise has to be negotiated.
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Misleading reports
“Some online media just went to town with a 40 per cent pay rise report for workers without verification and people have been causing problems and tension where there is none,” Okon added, per Vanguard.
“Nurses and midwives and others in the medical and health sector have been enjoying their allowances under their salary structure. If you look at their salary structure, it is different from what the core civil servants are earning. You cannot compare the salaries.
“This 40 per cent is just an allowance that is peculiar to the core civil servants who are on the consolidated public civil salary structure.
“The people that are complaining have several allowances you do not find in the core civil service.
“We need to emphasise that there is nothing like a 40 per cent pay rise for the core civil servants. The group of workers has no other allowance besides what is contained in their minimum wage.
“There was a harmonisation committee set up by the Head Service of the Federation to look into this issue of allowance last year. People are just mixing this issue of allowance with the National Minimum Wage.
“[As] I said earlier, the minimum wage negotiation will come up next year because it is every five years and it will cut across all workers, including the private sector.
“Please, there is no 40 per cent pay rise and people should stop creating problems and tension where there is none. If they are confused, they should seek clarification and stop causing tension and problem.”
