Nigeria’s Federal Government has commenced payment of 40% pay rise in salaries of some 144,766 civil servants, under the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure.
Federal university workers, who are under the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure and those using the medical salary structure, will not benefit.
Other categories of federal workers who will also not benefit are the Police and members of the Armed Forces.
One Federal worker who benefitted from the increment, Emmah Itam, who works with the judiciary, said the Federal government has put smiles on her face, seeing the large sum of money in her account at a time she least expected, adding that the increment has helped her in lifting some financial burdens in her home.
Another beneficiary, Alfred Omini, who initially thought news of the increment was a hoax, said he woke up to a phone alert, and ran to the ATM to confirm what had been paid in. He also thanked the federal government for taking the plight of federal workers into consideration.
The story was no different with Ibrahim Zabir, who noted that the increment came at the right time, saying the cost of living in the country was more than what most civil servants earn. He, however, called on the government to place priority on salary harmonisation, arguing that there was no reason to justify the huge gaps in salaries of workers with the same degrees at different organisations.
Meanwhile, a solider, who is not on the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure, expressed displeasure at government’s salary increment, insisting that the Federal Government should have accorded him and those in his own salary structure the same pay rise.
“We’re Federal staff also, deserving an increment as well,” the Federal worker, who pleaded anonymity, said.
Last month, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige announced that the Federal Government had approved a pay raise for civil servants.
Dr Ngige also disclosed that the pay rise had been captured in the 2023 budget, saying it would take effect from January 1, 2023.
The raise in pay is to enable civil servants cushion the effect of inflation and increase in the cost of living, the Minister added.
The Federal Government approved different percentages of pay increases for staff of corporations and agencies depending on the peculiarities of each organisation.
Writing by Marian Benjamin; Editing by Oluwaseyi Ajibade, Tersoo Nicholas and Tony Okerafor