The Cross River State Government has released a new salary structure for workers in the state following the increment of the minimum wage by Governor Bassey Otu from N30,000 to N40,000 monthly.
The governor, in a speech during this year’s celebration of Workers Day in Calabar, announced a N30,000 increment in salary for state government workers as a palliative measure to cushion the effect of hardship in the country.
In a Harmonised Salary Structure for Civil/Public Servants jointly signed by the Head of Service, Dr Innocent Eteng; Accountant General, Dr Glory Tony Effiong; Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman, Comrade Monday Ogbodum; Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC); and Special Adviser on Labour Matters, Comrade Clarkson Otu, on 23rd May 2024, the new salary ranges from levels to steps.
The salary is structured based on the accumulation of Basic Salary, Rent, Transport, Utility, Meal Subsidy, Leave Grant, Entertainment, Domestic Servant, Journal, Vehicle Maintenance, Recess Allowance, Security Allowance, Hazard/Robe/Journal, Field Allowance, House Maintenance, PA Allowance, Constituency, Special Assistant, Hard Allowance, Medical, and Security, depending on your level.
For Level 1 (GL1), Step 1 to Step 15 earn between N40,031.11 to N56,388.63; for Level 2 (GL1), Step 1 to 15 earn between N40,505.59 to N57,157.26; for Level 3 (GL3), Step 1 to 15 earn between N40,561.39 to N57,338.69; for Level 4 (GL4), Step 1 to 15 earn between N40,461.10 to N57,298.51; and for Level 5 (GL5), Step 1 to 15 earn between N42,643.69 to N60,748.81.
Workers in Level 6 (GL6), Step 1 to 15 will earn N43,744.27 to N62,771.06; Level 7 (GL7), Step 1 to 15 earn N46,874.16 to N66,027.75; Level 8 (GL8), Step 1 to 15 earn N55,331.10 to N78,996.75; Level 9 (GL9), Step 1 to 15 earn N63,056.97 to N90,682.95; and Level 10 (GL10), Step 1 to 15 will now earn N71,576.75 to N103,715.40.
Workers on Level 12 (GL12), Steps 1 to 11 earn between N914,23.84 to N116,523.40; Level 13 (GL13), Steps 1 to 11 earn between N101,195.20 to N129,655.20; Level 14 (GL14), Steps 1 to 11 earn between N106,511 to N136,997.40; Level 15 (GL15), Steps 1 to 9 earn between N182,005.10 to N208,511.60; Level 16 (GL16), Steps 1 to 9 earn between N248,492.10 to N277,664.60; Level 17 (GL17), Steps 1 to 9 earn between N252,384.20 to N283,592.10; and Level 18 (GL18), Steps 1 to 9 earn between N267,874.10 to N622,458.10.
In another development, the Government of Cross River State has terminated the state’s two-day off-duty for Civil/Public Servants.
CONVERSEER reports that Governor Bassey Otu on 8th September 2023 announced a 2-day off-duty as well as N10,000 for State Government workers for six months.
The Governor said the 2-day off duty is for workers from level 13 and below. This, according to him, was to cushion the effect of the unpleasant situation in the country, following the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023.
There will be a reduction of working days for civil servants on Level 13 and below from 5 to 3 days per week. From Level 14 and above, who will still be expected to work for the usual 5 days a week, a monthly stipend will be added to their salaries,” Governor Otu stated while briefing the press on Friday, 8th September 2023, at the Temporary Government House, Dan Archibong Lodge, Calabar.
Six months later, the Government decided to terminate the two-day off-duty.
In a circular signed by the Head of Service, Dr Innocent Eteng, with Circular No. 4/2024 (Our Ref: GO/HOS/4/Vol.III/210), on 2nd May and received by the Ministry of Local Government Affairs on 22nd May 2024, the 2-day off duty was terminated in April 2024.
The circular titled ‘TERMINATION OF TWO (2) DAY OFF DUTY FOR CIVIL/PUBLIC SERVANTS IN CROSS RIVER STATE’, was addressed to The Hon. Speaker, The Hon. Chief Judge, All Commissioners, Special Advisers, The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), The Chief of Staff, All Special Assistants, All Chairmen of Commissions and Boards, All Permanent Secretaries/Heads of MDAs, The Clerk of the House of Assembly, The Accountant-General, Auditor-General (State & LG), The Head of Personal Staff to the Deputy All Heads of Extra Ministerial Departments, and All Directors-General.
“It would be recalled that His Excellency, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, Governor of Cross River State, graciously granted approval for a 2-day off-duty specifically for Civil/Public Servants on Salary Grade Level 01-13 for six (6) months in order to ameliorate the hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy. The effective period of the duty days was November 2023 to April 2024,” the circular read in part.