For the sake of a “distinctive identity” and a desire to attract and retain a high calibre workforce, the Senate has approved a 100% increase in the salaries of the National Assembly workforce.
The new increase is coming at a time when the legislators are also considering increasing their pay by 68%, but will apply across the Legislative aides, the National Assembly staff and the management staff.
Discussions on the new salary structure was concluded in the Senate on Wednesday, following the adoption of a report of the Senate committee on establishments and public service, which reviewed the consolidated legislative salary structure for staff of the National Assembly.
The increase is a result of an agreement reached by the National Assembly service commission and the Parliamentary Staff Association on Nigeria.
The increment, according to the committee’s report, will take effect from January this year, but will be deployed in batches: 50% to be paid immediately, while the balance will be spread over the next eight years.
The 50% balance will be added up incrementally by 20%, 15%, and 15% after the second, sixth, and eight year respectively.
The cost
The implementation of the immediate 50% salary increment will cost the nation a whooping N11 billion annually, N4.65 billion above the N6.3 billion that it costs to service the National Assembly workforce currently.
The Senate, however, argued that it is a necessary step to strengthen the autonomy of the National Assembly.
“...there is the need to create an identity for the National Assembly service, in line with the constitution of Nigeria, which makes it an independent arm in tandem with the concept of separation of powers,” Mohamed Ahmed, chairman of the Senate committee, stated in the committee’s report.
He added that it was “imperative to establish a pay structure which will ensure good salaries and reasonable allowances that will attract and retain high calibre of staff, even from the academia and the private sector, as is the case in other parliaments of the world.”
With the initial 50% increase, grade level 17 officers with the National Assembly service commission will earn N5.25 million annually. A graduate at grade level 8 will earn N1.25 million annually, while the least - grade level 3 - will earn N404 thousand annually.
The National Assembly service commission has 317 staff and will cost a total of N4.57 billion annually.
The bulk of the money will, however, be spent on the legislative aides working directly under the lawmakers.
The legislative aides numbering 2 942, will cost the government N6.02 billion annually, till the next increment in 2012.
The third batch of employees, the National Assembly management staff, numbering 3 167, will cost the nation N4.576 billion annually.
“The committee is (also) of the strong opinion that an improved salary structure will encourage hard work, honesty, dedication, and commitment of staff; and will reduce corrupt tendencies and practices in the service,” Mr. Ahmed said..
