FG Approves 35% Pay Rise for Civil Servants, Pensioners Get 28% Increase

•NLC wants salary raise extended to all  

•ASUU seeks better welfare for workers

•ILO says over 1m workers may die annually from workplace hazards

•Mrs Tinubu, Obaseki hail workforce

Deji Elumoye, Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

The federal government has approved a pay increase of between 25 per cent and 35 per cent for civil servants on the remaining six consolidated salary structures.

A statement signed by Head of Press, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Emmanuel Njoku, said the increases took effect from January 1, 2024.

The affected Salary Structures included 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).

Those in the Tertiary Education and Health Sectors had already 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).

The federal government also approved increases in pension of between 20 per cent and 28 per cent for pensioners on the Defined Benefits Scheme in respect to the six consolidated salary structures with effect from January 1,2024.

Reacting to the federal government’s statement on pay increase, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said the gesture should be extended to all categories of civil servants.

But Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) called on President Bola Tinubu and the governors to prioritise the welfare and working conditions of Nigerian workers.

That was as the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimated that a total of 1,178,960 workers globally might die annually due to climate change-induced workplace hazards.

At the same time, First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki hailed Nigerian workers for their resilience and dedication to duty.

NLC’s Head of Information and Publicity, Comrade Benson Upah, said the pay rise was for certain categories of workers in the public service.

The NLC scribe, who spoke to THISDAY yesterday, said the salary increase was a welcomed development and government should ensure that the margin was reflective of the harsh economic situation in the country.

Upah stated, “I am yet to see the details of the statement, but from what I heard, those affected by the pay rise are from the specialised services.

“These categories of workers are already in the privileged sector but we expect it to be extended also to other categories of civil servants who are in lower cadre and are vulnerable.”

ASUU Seeks Better Welfare for Workers

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), yesterday, called on President Bola Tinubu and governors of the 36 states to prioritise the welfare and working conditions of Nigerian workers.

The chairman of University of Ibadan chapter of the union, Professor Ayoola Akinwole, in a statement, yesterday, marking Worker’s Day, noted that the socio-economic situation in Nigeria, the post-fuel subsidy removal backlash, and current fuel scarcity affected adversely the working class and their families.

Akinwole said Nigerian workers had continued to contribute to the development of Nigeria, despite being undervalued and underpaid by the various levels of governments, including private organisations.

He stated, “Nigerians, particularly the working class, are celebrating 2024 Workers’ Day experiencing fuel scarcity. Workers who are poorly paid will still have to pay hiked transportation fare. The inflation in Nigeria is killing, and many are getting malnourished as the cost of food items have skyrocketed.”

According to him, the 2024 Worker’s Day would be a reminder to the unfulfilled promises of the federal and state governments on improving the poor wages and working conditions of the Nigerian workers.

Akinwole stated that it was inconceivable that those in government exploited their states’ resources while some even looted for their unborn children while workers were left pauperised.

While thanking the Nigerian security forces for their efforts to make the country safe, he called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure special welfare package for families of those who had lost their lives while defending Nigeria.

ILO Says Over 1m Workers May Die Annually from Workplace Related Hazards

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimated that a total of 1,178,960 workers globally might die annually due to climate change-induced workplace hazards.

Quoting ILO’s newly published report, “Ensuring Safety and Health in a Changing Climate,” the United Nations agency said a staggering number of workers globally were facing climate-related health hazards.

In her address at the commemoration of the 2024 World Day for Safety and Health at Work, organised by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja, ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ms. Vanessa Phala, said the report revealed that over 70 per cent of the global workforce were likely to face occupational hazards linked to climate change

Phala said this year’s theme focused on the urgent need to address the profound effects of climate change on occupational safety and health.

She stated, “This report reveals that over 70 per cent of the global workforce is likely to face occupational hazards linked to climate change, including excessive heat, dangerous UV radiation, and harmful air pollution.

“The report estimates that more than 2.4 billion workers (out of a global workforce of 3.4 billion) are likely to be exposed to excessive heat at some point during their work.”

Phala said the report revealed that numerous health conditions in workers had been linked to climate change, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory illnesses, kidney dysfunction and mental health conditions.

She said, “The impact includes: 1.6 billion workers exposed to UV radiation, with more than 18,960 work-related deaths annually from nonmelanoma skin cancer, 1.6 billion likely to be exposed to workplace air pollution, resulting in up to 860,000 work-related deaths among outdoor workers annually.

“Over 870 million workers in agriculture, likely to be exposed to pesticides, with more than 300,000 deaths attributed to pesticide poisoning annually and 15,000 work-related deaths every year due to exposure to parasitic and vector-borne diseases.”

Phala said the impact of climate change on workers went well beyond exposure to excessive heat, but involved a cocktail of hazards, which result in a range of dangerous health conditions.

She suggested that government should take decisive action together to adapt workplaces, protect workers, and build a resilient future.

According to her, “These are not just statistics; they represent a clarion call to action for all of us, highlighting the pressing need to adapt our approaches and strategies to protect our workforce.

“In Nigeria, as in other parts of the world, the effects of climate change complicate existing health risks, creating a complex landscape of workplace hazards that require innovative and adaptive responses.”

She suggested measures to mitigate the climate change impact, which includes enhancing resilience planning, improving health surveillance, and investing in education and infrastructure that reduce vulnerability to climate impacts.

Earlier, Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ismaila Abubakar, said the aim of the symposium was to ensure the implementation of an effective and efficient work ethics by workers in their various workplaces, so as to prevent work-related accidents, injuries, diseases and deaths caused by climate change.

While welcoming participants to the symposium, Director of Occupational Health and Safety Department in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mrs. Adogu Nneka, said the objective of the event was to create awareness on the impact of climate change on workers’ health and safety.

First Lady Hails Nigerian Workers for Their Resilience, Dedication to Duty

The first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, rejoiced with Nigerian workers on the occasion of this year’s Worker’s Day celebration.

In a statement she personally signed, Tinubu hailed Nigerian workers for their innovation, resilience and dedication to duty.

Mrs Tinubu, in the release, stated, “I acknowledge the immense contributions of our nation’s workforce that is renowned for its dedication, resilience, and innovation.

“I, therefore, salute the teachers, who nurture young minds, the farmers who cultivate our land, the doctors and nurses, who safeguard our health, the engineers, who build our infrastructure, and countless others, who dedicate their skills and energy to building a better Nigeria.

“Today, let us not only celebrate work, but also reflect on how we can be a better and more productive workforce.

“On this Workers’ Day, I celebrate the spirit of work with pride. May it continue to be a source of strength, prosperity, and national progress for Nigeria.”

Obaseki Hails Edo Workers, Salutes Contribution to State’s Economy, Others

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, hailed the outstanding contribution of workers in the state towards the growth of the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the past seven and a half years of his administration.

Obaseki said the workers’ commitment and dedication to transformation of the state deserved praise.

In a statement, the governor said, “This is my last year in office and I dare say that I have had the best of time working with workers in Edo State.

“The experience has been exhilarating. I am happy that working with you all, we grew the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by over 140 per cent. For me, that is rewarding.”

He stated, “It has, indeed, been an enriching journey working and I am glad that we are signing off on an exciting note as only two days ago, I announced that we have raised the Edo State minimum wage from N40,000 to N70,000.

“An increase of over 75 per cent percent, which reflects how much we have come to value the work you do and which also speaks to our unwavering commitment to rewarding hard work as a government.”

Obaseki said his administration had improved the working conditions for the state’s workforce, stressing, “From infrastructure upgrade to prioritising technology and improving incentives for work, we have successfully built the first state government in Nigeria to go fully digital.

“The rate that technology is redefining work processes in Edo today is unprecedented and our workers can testify to the fact that the e-gov platform we have implemented has radically changed governance.”