Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called for the harmonization of career structures and salary scales across Nigeria’s federal and state civil services.
Jonathan made the call in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, during the foundation-laying and fundraising ceremony for the proposed Secretariat Complex of the Bayelsa State Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries.
He also recalled reforms introduced during his tenure as governor of the state to address disparities in the grading of senior civil servants.
The former president said the quality of personnel in the Bayelsa State Public Service compared favourably with their counterparts in the Federal Civil Service, questioning the basis for differences in career progression and remuneration where officials perform similar functions.
Jonathan recalled that while serving as governor of Bayelsa, he discovered that directors in the state civil service retired at Grade Level 16, while their counterparts in the Federal Civil Service were on Grade Level 17.
He said his administration consequently directed the Secretary to the State Government, Head of Service and Accountant-General to restructure the system by creating Grade Level 17 for directors in the state.
According to him, officers who had previously been on Level 16 were reclassified as deputy directors and promoted accordingly as part of the restructuring.
Jonathan extended his argument to other areas of public service, using the university system as an example. He questioned why professionals carrying out comparable responsibilities should have different salary structures based solely on whether they work for federal or state institutions.
He said the civil service should be viewed as part of one broader system, rather than as separate structures in which similar positions attract significantly different grades or remuneration.
The former president also commended the retired permanent secretaries for initiating the construction of their proposed secretariat, saying the facility could provide a platform through which their experience and knowledge would continue to benefit the state and the wider public.
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He said the project should be seen as more than a facility for retired officials, noting that it could provide a permanent space for activities that contribute to public administration and development.
Representing Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri at the event, the Head of Service, Ebiye Sawyer, pledged the state government’s support for the project.
Sawyer commended the retired permanent secretaries for their initiative and dedication, describing the project as an effort to preserve the legacy of public service in the state.
Earlier, Chairman of the Bayelsa State Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries, King Collins Ebi Daniel, described the proposed complex as an institutional edifice intended to preserve the contributions and legacy of retired senior public servants.
Daniel said the complex would include administrative offices, event halls, conference rooms and recreational facilities. He disclosed that the project is estimated to cost N500 million and is expected to be completed within two years.
The proposed facility is also expected to provide a permanent base for the association’s administrative and organizational activities, while creating space for meetings, conferences and other programmes.
At the ceremony, other dignitaries, 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 support for the initiative.
They also urged the association to explore the possibility of developing the facility into a policy institute capable of contributing to discussions on public administration and development at both state and national levels.
The event was attended by traditional ruler King Amalate Turner and Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Benson Agadaga.
The ceremony featured the formal foundation-laying by Jonathan, a fundraising session and a cultural presentation by the Bayelsa State Council for Arts and Culture.
With the proposed complex projected for completion within two years, the association is seeking to establish a permanent institutional base for retired permanent secretaries while continuing to preserve their experience and contribution to public service in Bayelsa State.
NAN
