Civil Servants Table Upward Salary Review Before FG

*Want 65 years retirement age or 40 years in service

Civil servants across the country have placed before the Federal Government a strong demand for a general upward review of salary, as well as other labour related demands to uplift the welfare of the workers.

The need for a general salary review in the civil service; upward review of retirement age in the entire public service to 65 years or 40 years of service, and their other requests by the civil servants are already being processed by the government.

The acting National President, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Comrade Tommy Etim Okon, made this known on Thursday while addressing the media in Lagos.

“The association has remained focused on pursuing the welfare interest of members. In this connection, the union has tabled the following labour issues before the Federal Government and they are being processed,” he said.

These demands, according to the ASCSN, include the need for a general salary review in the civil service; the need to compute annual leave of public servants in working days rather than calendar days; and the need for upward review of retirement age in the entire public service to 65 years or 40 years of service whichever comes first.

Their demands also include the restoration of Tenure Policy for Directors and Permanent Secretaries; incidences of stagnation as a result of lack of vacancies and need to create vacancies by the MDAs; and appointment of non-career persons into the civil service.

The association also demanded payment of gratuity to civil servants; salary harmonization in the public service; and the abolition of the dichotomy between HND and BSc holders.

Comrade Okon, who was appointed three months ago by the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the association and subsequently ratified by all members of the National Executive Council (NEC) at a meeting held on March 16, 2021, expressed delight at the progress being made by the union.

While commending the media for their efforts in preserving trade unionism ideals and working to sustaining industrial peace and harmony in the workplace, Comrade Okon said: “I must commend you for maintaining solidarity with the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, the only union standing to protect the interest of public servants in Nigeria. I have no doubt whatsoever that this rapport which spans more than three decades would continue to be nurtured, nourished, and strengthened in the overall interest of millions of public service employees.”