The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has made it clear that the 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increases for workers, as announced by the federal government, do not constitute the minimum wage.
President of the association, Mr. Tommy Okon, emphasized this point while addressing reporters in Abuja on Wednesday. Okon, who also serves as the Vice President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), explained that the approved salary increments aim to address salary disparities in certain ministries, departments, and agencies.
“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 and then come 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 those sectors listed,” he said.
Okon stressed the importance of clarifying the announcement for both workers and the general public, as the salary adjustment aimed to address wage disparities within the civil service. According to NAN, the Federal Government disclosed on Tuesday an increment ranging from 25 per cent to 35 per cent for civil servants under the remaining six consolidated salary structures.
These include 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).
