Salary is a wage given to a worker in form of money for services rendered. The word salary comes from a Latin word salsalis literary meaning sword. It came about from the practice of ancient Roman soldiers paying with sword because it is the most valuable item in that era. That was replaced with cash when money became accepted as a medium of exchange.

Over the years, there has been several salary structures and reviews in the country. However, a cursory look indicates that the nation is yet to arrive at an equitable salary structure. For example, there is no harmony in the salaries paid by the federal and state governments to civil servants even though the qualifications and requirements for entry into the nation’s public service are the same. It is disturbing that people with the same qualifications but employed in different offices of public service receive different salaries, a times double or even triple that of their counterpart. Even more worrisome is the disparity between salaries of the core ministries and those of departments and agencies.

This has reflected in the huge gap in salaries variations of the NNPC, CBN, FIRS, customs, paramilitary agencies and the core civil servants. Those who fix salary structures which are the cause of the wide gap forgot that all government employees buy from the same Nigerian market.

Of note also is the wider gap in salaries of permanent secretaries and directors general and their immediate subordinate. Their salaries are quite bogus compared to others who are next in rank with them. There is a compelling need for the incomes salaries and wages commission to urgently take a look at these gross anomalies and rectify it immediately.

This sorry situation was neither the norm in the first republic nor in the second republic. This practice started during the military regime from 1985 to 1998 as well as the lopsided and sadistic salary reviews that was carried out between 2005 and 2006 that ushered in this unfair practice.

In developed nations, wages are fixed based on academic and technical qualifications and allowances are fixed according to the nature of the job. Unfortunately in Nigeria, the case is not the same. In many agencies funded by the same federal budget, it is shocking to discover that a junior officer with a lower qualifications in some organizations earn higher salaries than most directorate cadre staff in many ministries and parastatals.

Under the present remuneration package, especially for elected officials, a local government chairman whose required qualifications is a secondary school certificate earns a higher salary than a university professor who have spent at least two decades in serious academic research.

Worthy to note also is the case of primary and secondary school teachers who have remained the least paid under the Nigerian salary system. It is imperative for all stakeholders to consider the human capacity development which these teachers facilitate is superior to the production of raw money which those who fix the unfair salary system in Nigeria use as a criteria.

For instance, if the NNPC, CBN and the other well paid staff are not trained by these school teachers, they wouldn’t be in position to earn any salary. Past federal governments did constitute a committee for the harmonization of wage disparity in the public service, but till today nothing has been heard of its reports or recommendations. The various labor leaders must take on the problem of wage disparity and ensure its elimination promptly.

The benefits to be derived from the correction of these anomalies are unquantifiable, it will track unnecessary job mobility and corruption. It will enthrone fairness, equity, motivation and higher productivity among workers. The private sector will also borrow a leaf from such a fair practice.

The present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari must take a step to rectify these anomalies in the salary structure of public service in the country. Let there be platform for fixing salaries, allowances can be fixed according to job demands and performances. Government must do away with all such old practices and come up with a solution to these taught provoking issues like the consolidation of salaries for various sectors, this is to ensure equity for all public servants in the country.

http://www.financialwatchngr.com/2016/04/06/need-eliminate-wage-disparity-nigerian-public-sectors/

It is quite worrisome though, but op must realize that equal treatment is not always fair. The productivity of the workers and the length of training and sensitivity of the job must be taken into account. However it is really absurd when there is no basis for the disparity. For instance an accountant working in the health sector may earn more than those in other public establishment. A Nurse in NNPC earns far more than one in a teaching hospital, even if they have similar qualification and experience. I think a serious review is needed. But it ll be difficult since everyone ll have a way of justifying what he earns.
But in the case of teachers, lets be honest, how many hours a day do they work? How many months a year do they work? How many 'holidays' do they have? If work should be commensurate with wages, they should earn slightly less than others.

In the media, level 8 step 2 staff goes home with 50k+ ,while some body in civil defence in the same cadre goes home with about 100k.

The issue about salary structure is about which ministry or department or agency that can bribe their way out or influence the Salary and Wages Commission to approve their salary structure.

This is very unfair.


I personally accuse the people at the Salary and Wages Commission for being the problem behind this discrepancies in salary of public servants.

Do you even have any idea how long it takes the dullard to pay monthly salaries?

Wonderful piece

However the last paragraph where you called on the present administration to step in and rectify the situation is a risky call o.. Abi you want them to also worsen this already bad situation as they have successfully done with other things since they got into power

Ok

Everybody goes to the same market and pays the same utility bills for God sake

True

Nice wriite up op

good one but too long, summary will be beta next time.

First, a good number of people go into those places, CBN, FIRS etc do not do so because the salaries are big.

Secondly, there were reports recently that top politicians, who are already very rich have smuggled their kids into CBN.

Why do you think they do that?

Unfortunately, some Nigerian rulers have enjoyed so much loot and have taught their children how to continue after them. This is why Nigerians must demand that employment into those places must be 100pct transparent and 100pct on merit.

Why is there such a rush to go to CBN? By the way, the rush to Immigration Ministry, Police, places you claim have lower salaries, is far more than the rush to CBN and NNPC? Why is that?

I thought that if the children of the rulers are really competenet (after all the millions spent to go abroad for education) they should be applying to GTB, First Bank, afterall these guys pay much more!

Yes, civil servants should earn well. The issues are larger than that. It borders on the rulers and the rich wanting to hold Nigeria captive forever.

*in Tmaya's voice* I concur!!

That cannot work in Nigeria. No way.

So true...

But some of these people no dey receive any salary @ all...

This very serious problem we have in this country.

Our teachers should be paid very well, or else our educational problem will persist.

Long Overdue

at state level. more work, less pay.

Ok

Reading.

Wen I start receiving d so called salary I will comment

Ok

Nice one

na true u talk.

The OP has a very valid point,but based on the kind of country we found ourselves in,greed and corruption will never allow it happen.

Wage disparity is inevitable because of professionalism.
Doctors and other health personnel receives call n night allowances.
Police,industrial workers etc must be paid shift and work hazards allowAnce...But just because the govt says she does not want a judge to be corrupt does not mean you pack a trailer full of salary n give him

Meringe:
In the media, level 8 step 2 staff goes home with 50k+ ,while some body in civil defence in the same cadre goes home with about 100k.

The issue about salary structure is about which ministry or department or agency that can bribe their way out or influence the Salary and Wages Commission to approve their salary structure.

This is very unfair.


I personally accuse the people at the Salary and Wages Commission for being the problem behind this discrepancies in salary of public servants.

one thing you have to understand is that Cadres differ. I mean you don't expect someone in the armed forces to be earning less than an office cleark In state ministry naw.


I think this disparity is due to the nature of their jobs

Salaries should be paid based on skills and qualification

Like it or not, their Value is the difference.