The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, disclosed that the Federal Government will be making announcement in 2023 on the increase of the salaries of civil servants in Nigeria.
According to the Labour Minister, “As we enter the new year government will make some pronouncements in that direction.
“The Presidential Committee on salaries is working hand-in-hand with the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission. The commission is mandated by the Act establishing them to fix salaries, wages, and emoluments in not only the public service.”
He noted that the private sector has template for remuneration, for compensation of workers different from the public sector.
Ngige stated: “If you want their assistance and you are in the private sector, they will also assist you. They have what is called the template for remuneration, for compensation. So, if you work, you get compensated, if you don’t work, you will not be compensated.
“So, they have the matrix to do the evaluation, so they are working with the Presidential Committee on Salaries Chaired by the finance ministry and I’m the co-chair to look at the demands of the workers. Outside this, I said discussions on that evaluation are going.”
He added: “They could do collective bargaining very easily with their workers. The banking sector, food, beverages and finance, insurance, everywhere.
“So, there is calm there. We didn’t have the desired calmness on the government’s side because of the government’s finances.
“However, I’ve briefed him, we are doing some review within the Presidential Committee on Salaries, and discussions are ongoing. The doctors are discussing with the ministry of health, and insurance people in the public sector discussing and there is a general calmness.
“Hopefully, within available resources, the government can do something in the coming year.”