The Federal Government will soon make an announcement on salary increases for civil and public servants.
This is in a bid to cushion the effect of the high inflation rate.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, stated this while speaking to State House correspondents today, after he had a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Senator Ngige, who said that he was at the seat of power to discuss issues concerning his ministry including employment and productivity, described 2022 as a year of industrial dispute.
Recall that the minister had recently hinted that the government would adjust workers’ salaries to meet up with the economic realities in the country occasioned by inflation.
Salary increase
Asked whether he discussed the issue of salary increase with the President looking at the rising inflation, he said:
“Yes, that’s what I am saying that 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.
“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.”
Also asked whether a timeline has been fixed for the implementation of the new salary increase, he said:
“As we enter the new year government will make some pronouncements in that direction.”
