Despite the salary increment of between 25 per cent and 35 per cent for workers on the Federal Government’s pay roll, some civil servants in the country have come down hard on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing it as “lacking in conscience.”

The government had in a statement, last Tuesday, signed by the Head of Press, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Emmanuel Njoku, announced that civil servants on the remaining six consolidated salary structures would get a pay rise of between 25 per cent and 35 per cent with effect from January 1, 2024.

Reacting to the development, which was apparently the government’s Workers Day gift to its employees, a level 12 officer in one of the federal ministries in Enugu State, Kingston Orji, stated that it was sad that the deceit the current administration started from its first day in office has festered about one year after.

“This is the government that announced the withdrawal of fuel subsidy, promising measures to cushion its effect on Nigerians. They promised palliatives but ended up sharing it among themselves. Since last year, we have bought petrol at different prices and now, it has gone up to N800 per litre; yet, there is nothing on ground to ameliorate the hardship it has caused the people. Our government is busy swelling Its pause with money and has refused to see the sufferings of the people. Is this how a government is run?

“They promised to review wages. They set up committees that went round the country to collate views of workers. Without waiting for the committee to make their recommendation, the Federal Government moved and announced a 25 to 35 per cent increment.

“Now think of it. Is it not deceitful? Does this committee still have relevance? The same government even went further to state that certain categories of civil servants such as those in the tertiary educational institutions started receiving theirs in January this year.

“What I am saying is that negotiations on the right minimum wage for workers have not been concluded. So why jump the gun? Look at what some states have done. Some added N20,000; some N10,000; some N40,000 and some have continued to make promises in the guise that they are waiting on the Federal Government. This past one year has seen governors making more revenue from FAAC, yet they have not bothered to incur additional responsibilities. I am thinking that any review on wages should be implemented from the day fuel subsidy was removed in the country. Anything short of that is anti-people,” Orji said.

An official of the State Ministry of Justice, Jane Okafor, noted that there was nothing for anyone to cheer about the announcement on wage increase. Okafor, who is a mother of four children, stated that the way the Federal Government was going about the wage increase indicated that it was not interested in the survival of the people.

She said: “What every government does at all times is to gauge the mood of her people. This is what is lacking in this administration. Is the government saying that it is not aware of the economic situation that has kept many homes in pain? In the past one year, hyperinflation has made nonsense people’s take home. Prices of goods and services increase daily. A good government should have a programme on how these would not affect the people much. But our case is different; nobody is thinking about the masses. The elective office holders are moving money here and there while the masses are dying of hunger. Imagine the number of Nigerians dying daily. It is a hopeless situation,” she said.

Okafor stated that any new wage should reflect the realities on ground, adding that, “unless we do the right thing, social vices and other dislocations we are encountering will continue to rise.”

She added: “How come the experts in Tinubu’s government cannot initiate measures to stabilise the economy? There is no way we can make the right progress with the way the economy is at the moment. It keeps stressing the people and the government appears not to know what to do. They have increased electricity tariff; they have increased the pump price of petrol; the cost of everything is high, yet salaries are not improving. I don’t know how else to talk about this. The Tinubu administration is anti-people. Let him allow us to breathe. There is nothing to cheer about this administration other than say it has pushed us from frying pan to fire. It is unfortunate.”

For a former Coordinator of Forum for Pensioners, Southeast, Eddy Nwanna, the Federal Government “is paying lip service to the welfare of the people.”

Nwanna stated that, “the way this government is responding to the pains it has created on the masses is an indication that it wants more people to either die or continue to live in abject poverty. ”

According to him, the Tinubu administration has turned many into slavery in their own land, wondering why the president was not bothered about the outcry of Nigerians.

“Does Tinubu at all listen to news and see the number of people dying daily including the ones taking their lives themselves? Has he seen a situation where a man will commit suicide or throw himself into the lagoon because he can no longer fend for his family and what have you? The government has told us lies about refineries yet fuel price is high; they have told lies about gas, yet ordinary people cannot cook with gas. Look at electricity; they have increased the tariff. The only one they cannot remove is the air we breathe. If they have the power they would have removed it and even at that, their actions in office seem to contaminate the free air God has given to us. We never bargained for this when we voted him to power.

“What manner of increase in salary was he talking about on May day? When you say between 25 to 35 per cent increase, you are talking about basic salary that in some cases could be N40,000 or N50,000. Is it high time some of these politicians left their comfort zones and address the ordinary people?

“Imagine the amount of money they allocated for construction of roads; imagine the ones they spend on travels and other irrelevancies; yet they cannot pay workers a living wage. As far as I am concerned, the NLC should reject this slavery and exploitation and call workers to action; otherwise, they will wake up one day and discover there is nobody to govern. The hardship is becoming unbearable,” he lamented.

Nwanna, who wondered about the fate of pensioners since this current wave of economic hardship, added: “Nobody is speaking for them. They have been allowed to wallow in their pains and are dying in their numbers. That is because the same government cannot provide for those working not to talk about those that have retired from the system. What this government is doing is to deliberately contribute to the death of the people for no just cause. Their policies are anti-people.”

Wondering the basis for the wage increase, he stated that it does not reflect the realities on ground, considering that it would take another three or four years for a fresh increment to be made.

He called on the National Assembly to rise to the occasion and save Tinubu’s government, stressing that the “level of hunger in the land might soon explode to an extent that can consume the entire government of the country.”

Some workers in Rivers State have also decried the manner the Federal Government has been treating its workers, lamenting that its policies have been pushing them harder.

According to a worker with Rivers State Ministry of Information, Amadi Akujobi, “what the Federal Government did was salary adjustment, not introduction of a new wage that people are expecting.”

He added: “The wage payment regime ended by April, so we were expecting a new salary structure but we were disappointed. There is no way you can compare the new minimum wage and salary adjustment because, certainly, salary adjustment cannot meet workers’ needs with the current economic realities.

“For instance, I come from Etche in Rivers state where garri is produced. As we speak today, a basin of garri is about N18,000 to N20,000. So, if you have a family of three to four, it means you need to buy two to three basins of garri in a month and this means that garri alone will take up to N40,000 a month.

“The economy is biting and salary adjustment cannot bring anything to the table. The government by its action is pushing Nigerian workers harder and wants the workers to continue to agitate through strike action.”

Another worker in the state, Illaye Jumbo, said the actions of the government and its policies have continued to create a huge vacuum between the rich and the poor.

She said: “The Nigerian government by its actions has continued to sweep the dirt under the carpet and if it fails to address workers’ issues squarely, it will be choked and the consequences will be unimaginable.

“Before now, Nigeria has high, middle and low class but now, we have only high class and low class.

“Government by its anti-people’s policies has continued to drive more people into poverty while the politicians keep getting richer. For me, with the current fuel subsidy policy and continuous devaluation of naira, there is no level of salary increase that will make any significant impact on the lives of Nigerians.

“What we need at this point is for the Nigerian government to make the environment friendly by ensuring steady power supply and reduction in electricity tariff.”

For Mr. Michael Ogiri, the Federal Government is just giving handouts to Nigerian workers, noting that it is very laughable for a government that promised to better the lives of Nigerians through its Renewed Hope agenda to do so.

“As we speak, there is severe hunger in the land; people find it difficult to feed, not to talk of accessing basic needs like shelter, education and water. This government has brought so much excruciating pain to Nigerians. There’s a need for the government to review its anti-people policies.”

A federal civil servant in Kano, Jamila Abubakar, who expressed worries over the hyperinflation in the country, noted that, “the salary increase is not enough because the high cost of living is already biting hard.”

He added: “The naira is already devalued and subsidy removal is another crippling issue. Transport fair will send someone packing. Honestly, the Federal Government needs to do more and most especially they should find ways of controlling the price of consumables in the country. Cost of things has refused to drop even as the naira gradually gains strength against the dollar.”

Another civil servant, Salihu Umar, lamented the insincerity of the government with regard to citizens’ welfare. He challenged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to sustain the demand for better workers’ welfare.

“Can you imagine the level of inflation in this country? Our money no longer has value. I am not sure if Tinubu’s government has feelings for the common man.

“Do you know how much a bag of rice costs now? In Kano, I bought a litre of petrol at N1, 300. If I am going to use that fuel for production or transportation, how much do you expect me to charge? We are seriously in trouble in this country and it all started the moment this president removed fuel subsidies.

“At the last check, I have not seen anything working, including what they have promised. They promised palliatives to cushion the suffering of the masses. I don’t know how many people that benefitted; for me I did not. There is no gas transport system and the price of fuel keeps increasing. How do they intend to help the masses that voted them in power?” he queried.

Meanwhile, workers in Oyo State have welcomed the salary increment by the Federal Government.

Speaking with The Guardian, a civil servant, Michael Adeniyi, noted that while any increase in salary is certainly appreciated, “it is important to consider the broader economic context.”

He added that, “government’s decision to remove subsidies and float the currency has led to increased living costs, which may offset the benefits of the salary hike.”

He urged the government to take proactive steps to mitigate the impact of the subsidy removal and floating of the naira on the average worker.

“The government also needs to ensure that the salary increment translates to meaningful improvements in our standard of living.

“I am cautiously optimistic about the salary increment, but I can’t say I am entirely happy with the development. The recent economic policies have put a strain on our finances, and while the salary increase helps, it may not fully offset the effects of the subsidy removal and currency devaluation. I believe there is still more work to be done to ensure workers can truly thrive in this economy,” he noted.

Another worker, Bunmi Ojo, said she was grateful for the salary increment announced by the Federal Government, noting that it would provide some relief amid the rising living expenses.

“But I am a bit skeptical about the government’s overall approach to economic policies. The removal of subsidies and devaluation of the naira have already placed significant financial strain on workers, and the salary increment may not be sufficient to address these challenges. I would like to see greater transparency and accountability from Tinubu’s government, along with policies that prioritise the wellbeing of the average citizen.

“While I appreciate the gesture of the government in increasing our salaries, I must admit that my happiness is tempered by concerns about the broader economic situation. The removal of subsidies and the devaluation of the naira have caused prices to skyrocket; so it remains to be seen if this salary increment will truly improve our standard of living. I hope the government will take further steps to address these challenges,” Ojo said.

A teacher, Bode Adeyemo, said while he appreciates the efforts of the Federal Government to increase workers’ salaries, he was still concerned about the sustainability of the decision in the long run.

He urged the government to prioritise policies that promote economic growth and engage in meaningful dialogue with workers and labour unions to address their concerns and needs.

“While I welcome any increase in salary, I can’t say I’m entirely happy with the current situation. The government’s policies have made it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. While the salary increment is a step in the right direction, it may not be enough to address the underlying issues. I hope the government will listen to our concerns and take further action to support workers in these challenging times,” Adeyemo said.

Amid the jubilation in some quarters over the salary increment, organised labour had declared that there was nothing like wage review, alleging that the government only used the euphoria of the moment to ‘deceive’ Nigerians that there was a pay rise.

Labour had alleged that the Federal Government’s salary increase for civil servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures on the eve of May Day was mischievous as well as deceptive.

The salary structures are the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS) and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).

Already, those in the tertiary education and health sectors have received their increases, which involved Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS) for Universities.

For Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, it involved the Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure (CONPCASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure (CONTEDISS).

The health sector also benefitted through the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Sector Salary Structure (CONHESS).

For the gesture to go across board, the government increased the salary of civil servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures.

The President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, insisted that the development has nothing to do with the national minimum wage negotiation that is ongoing, maintaining that it was calculated to deceive members of the public into believing that the government has done something for workers.

“It is like paying Level 1 to 7, and the other people have been agitating, and after four years you now say Level 8 to 10, we add you. There is no review at all. They have been paying the education sector and others before now, but they now added the paramilitary and military, which is not a wage review.

“The fact that they are trying to do it now, we suspect their intention. Why will you announce it now to create confusion? For over four years, the National Public Service Negotiating Council has been asking for this harmonisation. So if they are harmonising it now fine and good,” Ajaero said.

Asked if the government used the gesture to stall the announcement of a new minimum wage, he said: “It cannot because they are not related. Minimum wage cuts across public and private and all sectors of the economy. If there is any sector that they are not paying some allowances and wages before and they start paying them now, it has no relationship with minimum wage.”

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) had been calling for the harmonisation of public service salaries and allowances.

President of ASCSN, Dr. Tommy Okon, said the move was a long-time request, noting that what the government has successfully done was to bridge that gap since other sectors have been enjoying it.

Okon said it was a good thing that the government has balanced it so that whatever comes with the minimum wage, everybody will be at the same pace.

“All sectors have gotten and the remaining six sectors, the government has released what was meant for them,” he said. (The Guardian, excluding headline)

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