Following the adjustment in salary structures by the committee set up by the government to review the new minimum wage, retirees will now receive an increment of N32,000 in their monthly pensions.
This was revealed in a memo by the National Salaries, Wages, and Income Commission, sighted on Monday by The PUNCH. According to the memo, dated September 27, 2024, and signed by the Chairman of the NSIWC, Ekpo Nta, the affected retirees are those who retired under salary schemes for doctors, health workers, lecturers, police, paramilitary, armed forces, and others.
The memo stated: “Consequent upon the implementation of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024 and the consequential adjustments in the salaries of employees in the Federal Public Service, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has approved an increase of N32,000 per month on the pensions of retirees under the defined benefits scheme of agencies on the following salary structures: Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure, Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure, Consolidated Universities Academic Salary Structure, Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure II, Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure, and Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure.
“Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, Consolidated Health Salary Structure, Consolidated Para-Military Salary Structure, Consolidated Police Salary Structure, Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure, and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure.”
The memo further added that the approval would take effect from July 29, 2024. Agencies not part of the mentioned salary structures would need to apply to the commission to determine the appropriate increase applicable to their retirees.
It also noted that the Committee on Consequential Adjustments in Salaries for civil servants met on Friday to agree on the effective date of July 29, 2024, for the implementation of the new minimum wage. This decision followed President Bola Tinubu’s signing of the new minimum wage bill into law on July 29 after discussions with the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria.
The National Salaries and Wages Commission highlighted that the reason for setting the implementation date in July 2024 was due to the President’s signing of the bill that same month.