Minister of Labor and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has refuted rumours that the federal government is revising government worker salary levels.
Ngige emphasised that the rise he had been referring to was for the wages and benefits of the impacted workers, particularly government employees, in an interview with State House Correspondents in Abuja.
The accusation that the minister was involved was denied in a statement delivered by the head of public relations for the ministry, Mr. Olajide Oshundun.
It read, “The attention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has been drawn to the news item that the FG is reviewing salaries of public and civil servants which was a fallout of his interaction with State House Correspondents after his recent audience with Mr President.
“The minister wishes to clarify that the increase he talked about was on the remunerations and emoluments of the affected workers, especially the civil servants.”
According to the statement, the Presidential Committee on Salaries has received recommendations for the evaluation of allowances from several Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of Government through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
“Because the 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.”
The Ministry of Labor and Employment states that a worker’s remuneration includes both a wage and an earned allowance.
“Therefore, the FG through the PCS could not have engaged in the review of salaries without involving the workers through their unions, represented by these two labour federations of workers in Nigeria – The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria salary review or renegotiation is part of social dialogue and the product is usually a Collective Bargaining Agreement usually agreed to by both parties – employers and employees.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the minister made it clear to the press corps that it was still work in progress and that the end-product of this review of allowances would 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’s hoped that this rightful step which the FG had embarked upon on compassionate grounds without any prodding or threat to strike will help to cushion the debilitating effects of spiralling inflation especially that which affects food and energy prices (electricity and petroleum products).
“The minister wishes to reassure that the committee is optimistic that Mr. President will receive and consider the recommendations before the end of the first quarter in 2023,” it said.