Salaries, wages negotiation should distance from the present militancy approach, says Prof. Olalopa
Kunle Sanni
The Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission, (FCSC) Tunji Olaopa has said that for the government to be restored as an employer of choice, pay and compensation matters must be resolved in the core-civil service.
This, he explained, that the present militancy approach to salaries and wages negotiation should move to more scientific methods that will be strengthened by social protection measures.
He stated that, based on the charges given by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the new Board and his rapid assessment carried out as soon as the Board was inaugurated in December 2023, the aim was not only to re-engineer the Federal Civil Service Commission within the HR value chain, but also to touch on larger reforms.
Therefore, he engaged with the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Office of the Secretary to the Government, and other relevant stakeholders to broaden the conversation.
Olaopa visited Ekpo Nta, the Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) on Friday.
During the visit, he commended Nta for his contributions to the conversation on wages and salaries.
He also praised the ongoing reform being considered by the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), stating that it is the kind of reform that he championed during his time in service.
The Chairman, who was at the event with some Hon. Commissioners and FCSC Permanent Secretary, noted that the biggest issue in development management in Nigeria is weak institutions.
According to him, the institutional-capacity readiness of Nigeria’s bureaucracy is very weak.
He added that the IQ of services in the public sector cannot carry institutional-dynamism in the sector.
He asserts that as a person with ideation orientation, reform thinking and reform design; a seminal-network was needed to remedy the situation with some cross-pollination of ideas and expertise like the overture and engagement he has with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant on Policy Coordination, headed by Hadiza Bala Usman.
