The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, has clarified that the 25 per cent and 35 per cent increase in workers’ salary is not minimum wage.
Recall that the Federal Government on Wednesday announced increment in the wages of civil servants in the country.
But reacting to the announcement, the President of ASCSN, Tommy Okon, stated that the increase was not minimum wage. He made the clarification while fielding questions from newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.
Okon, who is also the Vice President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), said that the approval of the salary increase was to close the salary gap. He pointed that the gap had existed in some Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
According to him, “Other sectors have benefitted from these increases, it is only the core Federal Civil Service. So, it is a good development no doubt, but the people need to be informed.
“Some even saw it as if the Government had ambushed the Labour Unions. By coming out unilaterally to increase the minimum wage to that amount. Whereas, it is not the minimum wage.
“The minimum wage is ongoing. What the Government did was to correct some gaps that existed among the pay of those in that sectors listed,” he said.
Okon stated that the clarification became necessary for the generality of workers and the masses at large. He maintained that the salary increase was to bridge wage gap in the civil service.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the Federal Government on Tuesday announced increase of between 25 per cent and 35 per cent in salary of civil servants on the remaining six consolidated salary structures.
They include Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS). And the Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS).
Others are Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS) and Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS). Also in the list is the Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).
source: VANGUARD
