FG mulls new wage system based on workers’ productivity

…says employees on same level can earn different wages

By Ukpono Ukpong

The Federal Government has revealed plans to develop a productivity-led wage system that will ensure commensurate reward for workers based on employee’s productivity in the civil service, irrespective of their grade level.

This was disclosed on Monday by the Director-General of the National Productivity Centre (NPC), Dr. Nasir Raji-Mustapha, during an interaction with Labour correspondents in Abuja.

According to Raji-Mustapha, the new system will permit workers on the same level to earn different salaries.

Explaining further, he said that the centre made the decision considering the importance of productivity, being a key factor in the growth of the country’s economy.

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“We are in the process of developing a productivity-led wage system that will ensure that those who are productive are rewarded for their efforts irrespective of their grade level. Under the proposed system, employees on the same salary scale can earn different wages,” he said.

When asked whether the new proposal on a productivity-led wage system gained the support and input of organised labour, the NPC boss stressed that such task couldn’t be carried out without the input of the organised.

“Of course, labour as a critical stakeholder is being carried along in this exercise. As researchers, we don’t just do things without considering the recipient of the reports.

“When we started the project about three or four years ago, we held stakeholders’ forum in which the labour unions participated. We even went further to send memo to NLC and TUC to ask them whether they will support the proposed Wage System and they said they will welcome it.” Raji-Mustapha said.

He added that the report for the first phase of the study is ready, adding that the next stage will be to engage various stakeholders to consider and make input before finally presenting it to the federal government for its consideration and possible adoption.

The NPC boss also disclosed that the Centre was collaborating with a number of international agencies and organisations to ensure that productivity and skills of Nigerian workers are greatly improved to impact positively on the economy.

He stated specifically that NPC has widened its scope of collaboration between it and international agencies such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), Japanese International Cooperation Agency, (JACA), Africa Productivity Association and Asia Productivity Association.

According to him, the Centre has done a lot in the area of productivity promotion and advocacy for youths, especially the Youths Corp members at the NYSC camps, adding NPC has resuscitated preaching and promoting productivity at the NYSC camps.

He also disclosed that the Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima would be the keynote speaker today at the two-day National Productivity Summit organised by the centre and holding the nation’s capital.

“The summit is very important because in today’s rapidly evolving global landscape, you will agree with me that there is need for increased productivity. We must harness the power of science, technology and innovation and use them to optimize the resources in the country and the VP is the keynote speaker,” he added.