Nation
FG To Harmonise Public Workers’ Salaries
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to harmonising salaries of workers in the public sector.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, stated this at a Two-Day National Forum on Compensation Management organised by Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) in collaboration with the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), in Abuja, Monday.
Mustapha said the presidential committee set up for that purpose had commenced work to ensure that all federal workers across board were remunerated appropriately.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Government of the Federation, Dr Maurice Mbaeri, he said the forum with the theme, “Compensation Management in Nigeria: Resolving Dilemmas, Mainstreaming Milestone’’ was apt and came when there was the need to improve workers’ salaries.
Mustapha said President Muhammadu Buhari had always taken the issue of compensation policy very seriously, adding that he had demonstrated that over time and evidential in the fact that he did not retrench any federal worker in spite of the harsh economic situation.
According to him, the Federal Government has ensured implementation of the National Minimum Wage Act, payment of pension, increment of duty tour allowances, and payment of Special COVID-19 allowance among others.
He noted that the issue of compensation was a recurring decimal in the workplace globally, stating that it had generated interest overtime and had often pitched social partners and institutional actors in the industrial relations system against one another.
According to him, compensation as one of the key elements of relationship had direct relationship with workers’ performance and productivity adding that all these factors were critical to the success of any organisation and the economy at large.
“In Nigeria, at the heart of most industrial challenges is the issue of compensation and remuneration.
“Over the years, industrial sectors and specific enterprises have witnessed mixed reactions in terms of productivity of workers because of incessant industrial actions.
“While some progress have been made by government and other regulatory agencies with respect to establishing certain parameters for effective compensation management, a lot still needs to be done,’’ he said.
He expressed optimism that the discussions from the two-day workshop would produce policies that would reflect adequate compensation for workers.
While noting that government would be ready to make use of the outcome of the forum, Mustapha urged workers to reciprocate government’s gestures by being productive.
Speaking, Chairman, NSIWC, Ekpo Nta said it was high time recurring compensation crisis was brought to an end.
Nta, who doubles as the Chairman of the occasion noted that there had been lots of infractions on wages that needed to be looked into and resolved accordingly.
On monitoring implementation of personnel cost, Nta regretted that not so much attention had been paid to personnel cost as much as capital budget and overhead cost.
He called for more scrutiny of personnel cost to fish out any form of infraction.
“The personnel cost in the 2023 budget is estimated to gulp about N4.99 trillion and this cannot be ignored.
“I hope at the end of 2023, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) would give us clear analysis of what happens with regard to implementation”, Nta said.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, has commended the orderly conduct of the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination in the state and urged schools to sustain the standard.
Dr. Nwagor gave the commendation on Tuesday during a monitoring tour of selected secondary schools in Port Harcourt and environs where the WAEC exam is ongoing.
The commissioner, who was accompanied by directors and monitors from the Ministry of Education, said he was impressed with the peaceful atmosphere at the centres visited.
“The students conducted themselves properly and wrote their papers under conducive conditions. Invigilators and supervisors also performed their duties professionally,” he stated.
Nwagor noted that the Rivers State Government had invested heavily to ensure the smooth and credible conduct of the examination across the state
He urged candidates to reciprocate government’s effort by shunning all forms of examination malpractice and focusing on their studies.
“Government has done so much to ensure successful examinations in our schools. Students should take advantage of it by remaining focused,” the commissioner said.
While no case of malpractice was recorded in the centres inspected, Dr. Nwagor warned that any principal, teacher, invigilator, or official caught aiding malpractice would face strict sanctions in line with regulations.
He also commended school administrators, teachers, WAEC officials, and security personnel for upholding the integrity of the process.
Centres visited included County Grammar School, Ikwerre/Etche; Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri; Government Secondary School, Borokiri; and Pabod Model Secondary School.
Rivers State University and the Otonti Nduka Foundation for Values Education jointly hosted a two-day National Conference on 8 and 9 May 2026 to examine the state of values in Nigeria.
The two days conference held at Rivers State University convocation arena brought together academics, policymakers, legal experts and education leaders under the theme _“Trends and Challenges in Upholding Values in Nigeria.”_
The gathering focused on policy gaps, curriculum reform, and the role of ethics in public service and education.
The event opened on Friday with remarks from Vice Chancellor Prof. Chief Isaac Zeb-Obipi, who stressed the need to address declining moral and civic values across Nigeria’s education and public sectors. A book of abstracts for the plenary sessions was also presented to participants.
Key speakers included former Attorney General Chief Dr Kanu Agabi, SAN; NERDC Executive Secretary Prof. Shehu Salisu; Prof. Hauwa Imam, FNAE, of the University of Abuja; former Rivers SUBEB Chairman Ven Dr Fyneface Akah, ; former NIMASA DG Dr Hon. Dakuku Adol-Peterside; and RSU Director of ICT Prof. Sunny Orike.
Discussions centered on integrating values education into schools, tertiary institutions and public institutions, alongside the impact of technology on moral development among young Nigerians. Panel and plenary sessions produced practical recommendations for curriculum and policy reform.
On Saturday, the foundation marked its centenary with the unveiling of the book _Otonti Nduka in History_, launched by Chief Engr. Grant Offor, FNSE. The Nigerian Academy of Education held a ceremonial procession led by its President Prof. Olu Jegede and the Ikwerre Professors Forum.
In a communiqué, participants called for stronger collaboration between government, civil society and academia to mainstream values education nationwide. They recommended reviewing teacher training curricula and expanding digital platforms to promote ethical civic engagement, with the foundation pledging to share the outcomes with education authorities for implementation.
Dignitaries present included Ogbakor Ikwerre Worldwide as Chief Host, Prof. Emeritus Chief T. Uzodimma Nwala, the Ikenga 1 of Mbaise and first philosophy student of Prof. Otonti Nduka, alongside scholars and community leaders.
Amadi Akujobi
