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Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called for the harmonisation of grades and salary structures across Nigeria’s federal and state civil services, arguing that public servants performing similar responsibilities should enjoy comparable career levels and remuneration.
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Jonathan recalled that, as governor of Bayelsa State, he introduced Grade Level 17 for directors in the state civil service, who previously retired at Level 16, to bring their status in line with their counterparts in the Federal Civil Service.
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The former president extended the argument to the university system, saying professors performing the same academic functions should receive comparable salaries irrespective of whether they teach in federal or state-owned universities.
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Jonathan made the call in Yenagoa at the foundation-laying and fundraising ceremony for the secretariat complex of the Bayelsa State Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries, a project estimated at ₦500 million.
September 18, (THEWILL) – Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called for the harmonisation of salary structures and career grades across Nigeria’s federal and state civil services, arguing that officers performing similar responsibilities should be accorded comparable status and remuneration.
Jonathan made the call on Friday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, while speaking at the foundation-laying and fundraising ceremony for the secretariat complex of the Bayelsa State Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries.
The former president said the civil service should be regarded as one system of government, irrespective of whether an officer serves at the federal or state level.
He maintained that differences in the grades and remuneration of public servants performing equivalent duties could create an unnecessary disparity within the public service.
“The civil service of the federation is the civil service of the federation, whether you are working at the state level or you are working at the federal level. And I believe that the salary structure should be the same because it’s the same government”, Jonathan said.
He recalled that during his tenure as governor of Bayelsa State, he initiated reforms in the state civil service aimed at bringing the structure closer to that of the Federal Civil Service.
According to him, directors in the state service previously retired at Grade Level 16, prompting his administration to create Grade Level 17 for the cadre.
Jonathan said the decision was intended to ensure that directors in the state service were placed on the same level as their counterparts in the Federal Civil Service.
“Somebody who is a director in the Bayelsa State Civil Service should be qualified to be a director in the federal civil service, and they must be on the same grade level,” he said.
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He said he had directed relevant officials during his tenure as governor to restructure the state civil service and establish the additional grade level for directors.
Jonathan argued that the principle should extend beyond the civil service to other public institutions, including universities.
“A professor lecturing in a federal university should receive the same salary as a professor lecturing in a state university”, he said.
Background
Nigeria operates a federal system in which the Federal Government and state governments maintain separate public services, with remuneration and conditions of service influenced by the respective governments and applicable salary structures.
Over the years, disparities in salaries and career progression between federal and state institutions have generated debate among public servants and labour stakeholders, particularly where officers perform comparable duties.
Jonathan’s comments revisit his earlier intervention in Bayelsa’s civil service structure as governor, when his administration created Grade Level 17 for directors as part of efforts to align the state service with the Federal Civil Service.
The former president also used the occasion to commend retired permanent secretaries for initiating the proposed secretariat complex, saying the project would provide a platform through which their experience and knowledge could continue to benefit Bayelsa State.
“This is not going to serve the retired permanent secretaries alone. It’s going to serve the state, not just the government alone, but also private citizens”, he stated.
Jonathan further said the quality and calibre of personnel in the Bayelsa State Public Service compared favourably with those in the Federal Civil Service.
He said the proposed secretariat would enable retired permanent secretaries to remain involved in public affairs and contribute their institutional knowledge to the development of the state.
Representing Governor Douye Diri at the ceremony, the Bayelsa State Head of Service, Dr Ebiye Sawyer, pledged the state government’s support for the project.
Sawyer commended the retired public servants for their initiative and described the proposed complex as a project capable of preserving the contributions and legacy of those who served the state.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries, King Collins Ebi Daniel, described the proposed secretariat as an institutional edifice designed to preserve the legacy of public service.
He said the complex would comprise administrative offices, event halls, conference rooms and recreational facilities.
Daniel put the estimated cost of the project at ₦500 million and said construction was expected to be completed within two years.
Other dignitaries at the ceremony, including the Chairman of the occasion, Professor Imiri, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Yenagoa Campus, and the Chief Launcher, Chief Maxwell Oko, pledged their support for the project.
They also urged the association to consider developing the facility into a policy institute that could provide research, knowledge and policy contributions to development at both state and national levels.
The ceremony was attended by the traditional ruler, King Amalate Turner, and the Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Senator Benson Agadaga.
The event featured the formal foundation-laying by Jonathan, a fundraising session and a cultural presentation by the Bayelsa State Council for Arts and Culture.
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