Akume Tasks NSIWC Leadership On Wage Governance, Institutional Renewal
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, has tasked the Board and Management of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) to strengthen strategic wage governance and drive institutional renewal.
Akume gave the charge on Monday at the opening of the Commission’s 3-day Board and Management Retreat in Abuja, themed “Vision, Strategy and Institutional Renewal.”
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Dr. Ibrahim Kana, the SGF said prevailing economic reforms and rising public expectations have made a fair, sustainable and responsive wage system more compelling, requiring wage institutions to balance workers’ legitimate expectations with government’s fiscal realities.
He noted that the NSIWC occupies a critical position in Nigeria’s governance architecture given its responsibilities for policy advice, wage analysis and stakeholder engagement.
The SGF reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to building an efficient, productive and responsive public service, and urged the Commission to strengthen its capacity to anticipate emerging wage challenges and provide evidence-based recommendations that promote fair remuneration, fiscal sustainability and industrial peace.
According to a statement by Chris Ugwuegbulam, Head of Information and Public Relations in the OSGF, Akume said wage policies must be guided by credible data, economic realities and constructive engagement with organised labour and other stakeholders.
He also charged the Commission to embrace technology, strengthen research and data management, improve administrative processes and invest in workforce development, noting that “a modern, digitally enabled Commission would be better positioned to deliver timely, transparent and reliable services.”
Akume further urged participants to ensure the retreat produces clear priorities, practical strategies and measurable performance indicators, and to sustain engagement with MDAs and labour unions to prevent avoidable industrial disputes.
“As we work collectively to advance the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, every public institution must demonstrate that it can translate policy intentions into tangible improvements in governance and the lives of Nigerians,” he said.
In his remarks, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Olumuyiwa Enitan Abel, described the relationship between his office and the Commission as a partnership in progress, critical to the welfare and advancement of the civil service.
He said ongoing reforms are aimed at repositioning the civil service to become Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible and Citizen-centred (EPIC), in support of the target of building a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2030.
Earlier, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NSIWC, Maj. Gen. Junaid Bindawa (rtd), called for stronger collaboration between the Board and Management to improve operational efficiency and strengthen wage governance.
In his goodwill message, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, urged the Federal Government to urgently address the economic hardship facing Nigerian workers, noting that rising living costs have continued to erode their purchasing power.
