THE Federal Government has approved 25 per cent and 35 per cent of salary increase for civil servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures with effect from January 1, this year.
But the seeming ambiguity surrounding the rise, or lack of clear understanding of the increase is causing anxiety among federal government workers, who are demanding clearer interpretation of the pay increase.
The approved 25 to 35 per cent salary increase is for civil servants on six consolidated salary structures, while pensioners under the Defined Benefits Scheme would also receive a 20 to 28 per cent increase, aligning with constitutional provisions.
Sectors like education and health had earlier received raises.
The Head of Press, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Emmanuel Njoku, said on Tuesday, April 30, in Abuja: “The Federal Government has approved an increase of between 25 per cent and 35 per cent in salary increase for 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 Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS).
“Others are Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS); Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS) and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).”
According to Njoku, the Federal Government has also approved increases in pension of between 20 per cent and 28 per cent for pensioners on the Defined Benefits Scheme in respect of the above-mentioned six consolidated salary structures and would also take effect from January 1.
He said the move was in line with the provisions of Section 173(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), recalling that those in the Tertiary Education and Health Sectors had already received their increases.
He added: “This involves Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS) for universities.
“For Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, it involves 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).”
