Enugu State is one of the states in Nigeria that has a large population of civil servants, who work in various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of the State Government. Civil servants are often regarded as the backbone of the public sector, as they provide essential services to the citizens and implement government policies and programs.
However, Civil Servants in Enugu State, like their counterparts in other parts of the country, are facing the challenge of coping with the rising costs of goods and services, which have eroded their purchasing power and reduced their standard of living. The inflation rate in Nigeria hit 24.08% in July 2023, the highest in four years, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The prices of food, transportation, housing, health, education, and other items have increased significantly in the past months, making it difficult for many Nigerians to afford their basic needs.
The situation was worsened by the removal of the fuel subsidy by the federal government in June 2023, which led to an increase in the pump price of petrol from N240 per liter to N600 per liter. This has also resulted in higher fares for public transportation and higher costs for businesses that rely on generators for power supply. The impact of the fuel subsidy removal is more felt by Civil Servants, who have fixed salaries that are not adjusted to reflect the changes in the cost of living.
The average salary of a civil servant in Enugu State is about N40,000 per month, according to the Enugu State Civil Service Commission (ESCSC). This means that a civil servant spends about 40% of his or her income on petrol alone, assuming that he or she consumes 100 liters per month. This leaves little room for other expenses such as food, rent, utilities, health care, education, and savings.
The civil servants in Enugu State have also not received any salary increment or promotion since 2022, despite the approval of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in March 2023. The ESCSC announced that about 3,089 civil servants on salary grade levels 04 to 16 benefited from the promotions, but they are yet to receive their new salaries and arrears. The delay in the implementation of the promotions is not known yet.
Recently, the Federal Government rolled out measures to curb the bite of the high inflation on the citizenry by giving States in the Federation the sum of N5 billion Naira each, including Enugu State. All other sister States in the southeastern states are already declaring various measures to assist the populace and the public servants in mitigating inflation. The Enugu State populace and the Civil servants are still looking to the Government of Peter Mbah for better relief measures for the State.
The civil servants in Enugu State are therefore calling on the state government to address their plight and improve their welfare to cope with the effects of the rising costs of goods and services. They also hope that the federal government will take measures to curb inflation and stabilize the economy.
They urge the government to diversify the economy away from oil dependence and invest more in agriculture, manufacturing, power, health, and education sectors. Which will make room for more employment opportunities so as to engage more idle hands. They also call for more transparency and accountability in the management of public funds and resources.
The civil servants are optimistic that with collective efforts and cooperation from all stakeholders, Nigeria can overcome its economic challenges and achieve sustainable development and prosperity for all.
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