Abuja, April 18, 2023 – The Federal Government may start implementing a 40 per cent salary increase for civil servants by the end of April.
The salary increase is to alleviate the impact of the petrol subsidy removal planned for June.
Olajide Oshundun, the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, told journalists in Abuja that the payment might begin by the end of April.
He, however, said it was uncertain the president had given his nod for the pay raise proposal.
“Consequential allowance will be increased by 40 per cent for civil servants from level 1 to level 17.
“What we receive now is called consolidated public service salary structure, it is the combination of basic and all allowances. So, the increase will be 40 per cent of what a public servant is earning now.
“They will start paying from the end of this month (April) and the arrears of January, February and March will be paid later.
“The salary increase is effective from January 2023. That is the proposal submitted by the committee set up to look into salary adjustment for civil servants, but am not sure if the President has signed it yet,”Oshundun said.
Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, had also in March, said that the Federal Government had approved a pay raise for civil servants.
Tommy Etim, the National Vice President of the Trade Union Congress, has also confirmed the move, saying that there were plans to increase “allowances and not salaries.”
“I am aware of the moves by the government and the payment is to start from January.
“The new payment is not an increase in workers’ salaries. It is a peculiar allowance and not an increase in salary, so we don’t misinform the public.
“It is just an increase in basic salary and not across board.
“Other components are not touched so that the market woman will not think the government has increased salary.
“It is an allowance because of the peculiar circumstances surrounding the removal of fuel subsidy and inflation.
“An allowance is not a salary. No civil servant has received so I cannot speak authoritatively until it hits everyone’s bank account.” (GBN)
