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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The Federal Government is investigating the circumstances that led to the N4.99 trillion wage bill of its Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the 2023 Budget.
The amount which is about 30 per cent of the total N20.51 trillion Budget of 2023 is considered to be very much on the high side, has however necessitated further inspection of the salaries of MDAs.
Addressing the field and monitoring officers in the execution of 2022 salary inspection projects, Chairman of National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Mr Ekpo Nta, stated that given the bloated nature of government’s personnel cost, there’s need to keep it under continuous surveillance and control to avoid government’s finances going haywire.
Nta who was represented by the Commissioner (Compensation), Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, noted that the wage sector accounts for upward of 30 per cent of government’s budget and if not checked could become a challenge to the administration.
In his remarks, Acting Director, Compensation, NSIWC, Mr Chiadi Adighogu, noted that in order to recommend increase in salaries or pensions, the Commission requires the staff strength of serving staff and pensioners in MDAs.
“This is to enable it compute the cost implication and the ability of the government to pay which is a cardinal principle of International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions. This principle also applies during collective bargaining. It is on this note that the NSIWC carries out the Manning Level of MDAs in its yearly capital project.
“The 2022 phase of the project is directed at capturing the staffing data of establishments under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Health. Currently, there is no comprehensive source of data on the manning levels and wages bill of federal government establishments under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Health,” he said.
