The Nigerian Government is actively working on the development of the proposed National Pay Policy, according to the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC).
In a recent statement by Emmanuel Njoku, the commission’s Head of the Press Unit, it was revealed that the drafting process is still underway. This development follows emerging reports suggesting that the new administration is considering a novel approach to determining employee remuneration based on factors such as work hours and quality of performance.
Wage Policy
The National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), revealed the pay policy is one among several activities the commission is proposing to achieve, citing discussions on the proposed policy emanated from a two-day training workshop it organised for Salary Inspectors on April 4.
”The meeting was for the execution of Phase 2 of the 2022 Salary Inspection of selected Ministries, Department, and Agencies (MDAs).
”During the training workshop the NSIWC Chairman, Ekpo Nta, itemised some of the plans and activities of the commission.
”Among these are monitoring of the implementation of the National Minimum Wage, the review of the National Minimum Wage coming up next year 2024, and drafting of a National Pay Policy.
”For the avoidance of doubt, the drafting of the National Pay Policy as approved at a meeting of the Presidential Committee on Salaries which was held on May 25, is still ongoing,” he said.
No new-wage policy
Njoku urged the public to disregard any news circulating in some media platforms, stating that the present administration had designed a pay policy for workers, adding:
”To further put the record straight, the training workshop where it was discussed was held since April 4 and not in June as portrayed by some sections of the media.
”And also, it was not during a recent interview with the chairman of NSIWC”.
Last week, Nigeria’s Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) revealed its demands after calling off the planned nationwide strike following the removal of fuel subsidies.
The demands include the Minimum wage should be increased from the current N30,000 to N200,000 before the end of June 2023 and a Tax holiday for employees both in the government and private sector that earn less than N200,000 or 500USD monthly whichever is higher.
The demands by the TUC were made in a bid to make the fuel subsidy removal easier for Nigerian workers, they also called for maintenance of the status quo ante of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) pump price while discussion continued, others are:
“Minimum wage should be increased from the current N30,000 to N200,000 before the end of June 2023, with consequential adjustment on the cost of feeding allowance, like feeding, transport, and housing, among others.
“A representative of state governors will be party to this communique and all the governors must commit to implement the new minimum wage.
“Tax holiday for employees both in government and private sector that earn less than N200,000 or 500USD monthly whichever is higher.
“PMS Allowance to be introduced for those earning between N200,000 to N500,000 or 500USD to 1,200USD whichever is higher.”
