Why salary increase isn’t possible now – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said the Federal Government would not be able to increase salaries of civil servants for now.

He cited loss of revenue to crude oil theft and other global crises as factors that would make consideration of salary increase impossible for now.

Buhari spoke when the Central Working Committee of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) paid him a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He also noted that employment into the public service should reserved for the “best and brightest’’ of Nigerians, who will fuel policies with fresh ideas.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, the President also pointed out that his administration has invested the most into security, in order to create an enabling environment for development and protect Nigerians as well as the nation’s critical national assets like the those in oil and gas sector.

On request for salary review for civil servants by the committee, the President acknowledged the urgent need for a general salary review in the Federal Public Service due to worldwide problems of high inflation amidst general economic disruption.

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“However, I wish to urge you to appreciate the revenue constraints being presently faced by government, which is caused mainly by the activities of unscrupulous citizens through the theft of our crude oil, a major contributor to our revenue base.

“This is compounded by global economic downturn as a result of the on-going Russian – Ukrainian war, which has led to price increases not just in the costs of goods and services globally, but also in the transportation of these goods and services across the globe.

“You are also aware of the enormous burden placed on our finances by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Furthermore, let me note the significant investment we have had to make in security over the last seven years, which means other sectors of the economy have not been able to receive as much funding as we would have liked. Only when our country is secured, that we are able to proceed and take on other aspects of our economic challenges,’’ he said.

President Buhari explained that investment in security assets had been at a huge cost, after several decades of negligence.

“However, my confidence in the Nigerian Armed forces is unshaken, and I have tasked the Chief of Defense Staff and his service chiefs to take the war to these criminals who have made life difficult for many Nigerians.

“Recent reports have shown the message is now being heard and the dividends of our seven years of investments are now maturing. I implore our forces to continue with the current effort and determination until we rid our land of these miscreants.

“I also wish to reiterate that we will not allow a few criminals to have unfettered access to the nation’s crude oil supply hence I have directed our security agencies to speedily bring to a halt the activities of these vandals in the Niger Delta,’’ the President noted.

He said that criminal activities on seas, where large vessels seek to hide in neighboring countries will be checked, stressing that “there should be no hiding place for such criminals, and our cooperation with neighboring countries in halting these crimes is being strengthened and tightened.’’

Buhari told the Central Working Committee of ASCSN that request for restoration of the payment of gratuity to public service employees was one of the landmark provisions addressed in the 2004 Pension Reform Act.

(Nation)