The Review of the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) has been approved by the Federal Government to take effect from July 24 2024.
This follows the passage of the NSIWC Amendment Act 2024 as well as the MOU signed by the committee on consequential adjustments of salaries due to the implementation of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act, 2024
The introduction of the new National Minimum Wage Law in the Federal Public Service is an important step in guaranteeing that there is parity in the pay across employees in different sectors, and upward review of Minimum Wage from 30,000 to 70,000 to meet with current days economic reality.
The positive impact of this restructuring is also felt on the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) that is applicable to remuneration of health workers in the Nigerian Federal service.
This article examines the effects and consequences of the implementation of such a new wage structure as well as essential issues involved in such a process.
Also see: Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) in Nigeria (+PDF Download)
What is CONHESS?
CONHESS is intended for public health workers and professionals. It covers nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, radiographers and other health and allied professionals, doctors are usually under CONMESS which is the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure.
The framework determines the minimum wages for health workers based on their qualification, grade, as well as the number of years served.
It is a very important tool to ensure that the adequate pay and benefits are given to the different categories of health professionals to enable them meet their needs.
Overview of the New National Minimum Wage
The Federal Government of Nigeria has made the recent pronouncement of the commencement of the new national minimum wage hut intending to become effective from July 2024.
The move is likely going to have a great effect on the federal public service especially the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) which is the Schedule of Health workers in the Public service
The newly promulgated national minimum wage was necessitated by the challenges of workers in the current Nigeria economy, and the need for a reasonable humane payment for the services offered.
President Bola Tinubu enacted into law a new minimum salary regulation on 29th July.
Then the minimum wage was repositioned from N 30,000 to N70,000 as per the federal government approval on the said minimum wage regulation policy.
The New National Minimum Wage and its Implications on CONHESS
The National Minimum Wage Amendment Act set out to assist employees in improving their standard of living and at the same time help in addressing the issue of wage inequality amongst Nigerians.
The recent increment of the minimum wage from 30,000 to 70,000 has now been incorporated into the federal public service as well as the CONHESS salary scale.
Key Implications
Enhanced Baseline Pay for Workers
This increase makes certain that a new minimum pay for all federal public health workers is ₦70,000 plus any other allowances applicable (for example, housing benefits).
The primary goal of these changes is to improve employees’ ability to spend which in turn may translate to higher employee satisfaction and increased productivity.
Adjusted Salary Grades
It would be significant to note that with the introduction of the minimum wage as a law there would be the need to re-evaluate the salary grades within the CONHESS framework in the upward direction.
This is done to ensure equity among the grades, ensuring that higher grades reflect their requisite qualifications and responsibilities.
Budgetary Implications
The new wage is envisaged to result in enhanced expenditure by the government especially in public funded services such as the health sector that are heavily dependent on the workforce.
It is anticipated that this revision will exert stresses on government budgets, but in the end, there are many people who would appreciate it due to increased remuneration that has popularly been a concern in many countries.
Retention of Skilled Healthcare Workers
This would help the government in retaining healthcare workers who are skilled by adjusting the salary under the CONHESS system.
Competitive wages are critical in retaining highly skilled professionals who might otherwise seek better opportunities abroad.
Challenges in Implementing the New Minimum Wage
there is no doubt that the pay rise is a welcome development , however, its application has not been straightforward:
Delayed Implementation
Some CONHESS employees and other federal workers have had to grapple with the issue of delay in the applicability of adjustments to their salaries, which apparently arose from administrative hitches as well as lack of proper funding allocation
Unions and Negotiations
The desire for prompt payment and timely creation of new structures has been quite vocal in health workers’ unions, like joint health sector unions (JOHESU).
The gap between what new salaries were being offered and what they had been paid in the past created friction which sometimes led to collective bargaining and other strikes.
State vs. Federal Implementation
Though the emphasis here is in the federal public service, full compliance with the new wage legislation has been slow by some states. Health personnel working in state facilities have also started to voice their dissatisfaction in being neglected.
How the Government is Addressing These Challenges
Saying this, the government has to implement a set of measures on how to address these challenges.
The strategy was several pronged to ensure minimization of risks and effective implementation of the new CONHESS wages at the national level.
Budgetary Allocations
The 2024 budget takes into account raising wage bill including education and health sectors which have been recognized as most essential sectors for the economic development of the country
- Collaborations with Unions
Continued dialogue with unions ensures that grievances are addressed promptly and equitably, reducing the likelihood of strikes or protests.
- Capacity Building for Payroll Departments
To eliminate administrative delays, the government has introduced capacity-building programs for payroll officers to ensure timely and accurate disbursement of salaries.
- Monitoring and Compliance
A monitoring mechanism has been put in place to ensure compliance with the new wage structure across all public health institutions, creating accountability and transparency.
Implementation of the New National Minimum Wage in CONHESS
The implementation of the new national minimum wage in CONHESS is expected to be phased, with different categories of health workers expected to benefit at different stages.
The federal government has approved the implementation of the new national minimum wage for health workers in the federal public service, with effect from July 2024.
The new salary structure for health workers in CONHESS is as follows:
- Medical officers: ₦238,000 – ₦400,000 per month
- Medical consultants: ₦500,000 – ₦800,000 per month
- Nurses: ₦170,000 – ₦300,000 per month
- Pharmacists: ₦200,000 – ₦350,000 per month
- Allied health professionals: ₦150,000 – ₦250,000 per month
Note that these salaries are basic, other benefits and allowances are added to it.
CONHESS Free PDF Download
The Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) document as released by the National Salaries, Incomes and wages commission (NSIWC) here contains a table of the new salary structure for health workers and it can be downloaded here in PDF format, click on the download link below to download it and save to your device.
Final Thoughts on Implementation of the New National Minimum Wage in the Federal Public Service
Nigerian healthcare workers will feel the betterment through the adjustment in CONHESS and the introduction of a National Minimum Wage throughout the Federal Government.
Although the challenges remain, the potential upside of such a change is enormous. This development has prospects not only for employees but also for the healthcare system of the country by increasing retention and morale of employees.
If these changes are managed and properly balanced, they can enhance the health sector in Nigeria and keep it abreast with the requirements of its people.
Successful implementation of this salary increase would need constant communication and action by the government, unions and all parties involved in healthcare delivery.
Nigeria stands a chance to break this vicious cycle by introducing a relatively more enhanced benchmark for paying all workers in all sectors and thus increasing the chances of a better society.