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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Irked by the lopsidedness in salaries of civil servants, Executive Secretary of Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Professor Shuaib Aliyu has moved for the harmonisation in the salary structure of federal government workers.
Speaking when the chairman of National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Major General Junaid Bindawa led a delegation of the management staff of the commission on a courtesy visit to PTDF in Abuja, Aliyu stated that the problem with the country’s development is lack of strong capital development and that can be corrected through well-motivated workforce.
Consequently, he called on NSIWC to work towards bridging the dichotomy in salaries and wages and achieve harmonisation as no single sector is more important than the other.
He also noted that because of lack of motivation, teaching profession is almost becoming a dumbing ground for job-seekers, especially in the primary and secondary levels, adding that the country cannot develop without human resources.
Aliyu said that the PTDF was ready to collaborate with NSIWC in areas of training in human capital development as the commission plays a critical role in welfare and motivation of workforce.
He noted that since the mandate of the NSIWC has to do with welfare of staff, the collaboration will be reciprocal as the commission has expertise in salary administration in which the PTDF will benefit from.
Earlier, Chairman of NSIWC, Major General Junaid Bindawa (rtd) had said that the commission and the PTDF have a strategic role in human capacity development. So, there’s need for the two agencies to collaborate in the area of training.
The chairman noted that PTDF had extended invaluable support and collaboration to the commission, particularly in the areas of capacity building and human capital development.
He expressed the need, therefore, to renew the collaboration with more vigour.
In a statement, Head, Press and Protocol, Mr Emma Njoku, quoted Bindawa as saying that although the mandates of PTDF and NSIWC are distinct, there are significant areas of convergence that provide a strong basis for deeper institutional collaboration.
‘’Such convergences are in areas of developing indigenous human and institutional capacity for the petroleum industry through education, training, research and development, and other interventions aimed at building the technical and professional competencies required for national development’’ he noted.
The NSIWC boss explained that the commission has a critical responsibility in the area of salaries, incomes and wages policy, including advising government on remuneration matters, promoting a fair, sustainable and coherent remuneration system within the public service, and undertaking relevant research, analysis and policy development in support of national economic and labour policies.
Bindawa also noted that both institutions therefore share a common interest in human capital development, institutional effectiveness, productivity, research, evidence-based policy and the development of highly- skilled manpower as the commission is also a stakeholder in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021.
“The PIA gave a major participatory role to NSIWC in determining remuneration as a major stakeholder in the future of the oil and gas sector under Part III: Section 13(2), Section 21(a-c), Section 35 g(i-iii) and Section 44(a-c), he explained.
The commission’s chairman said the commission would, therefore, welcome discussions with the management of PTDF on how to establish a more structured framework for co-operation between the two institutions.
Highlight of the event was the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on capacity building. ENDS
