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Govt raises minimum wage, again
2008-01-19 09:10:45
By Njonanje Samwel
The Government announced yesterday an increase of the minimum wage for civil servants from 80,760/- to 100,000/- per month effective from this month.
However, due to lack of funds, workers will have to wait for six months before they start enjoying new salaries, which the ministry said were part of the government`s ``reward`` to its workers.
The new wage was announced by the Minister of State in the President`s Office (Public Service Management), Hawa Ghasia, at a press conference held in Dar es Salaam.
According to the Minister, the government has reached the decision after discussing at length with the ministerial salary consultative committee formed to study and come up with recommendations for salary increase in the fiscal year 2007/08.
She said the committee had suggested an increment of 19,240/- from the previous 80,760/- to 100,000/-, which is equivalent to 23.82 per cent.
``We discussed and later accepted the proposed increment as required by Section 17(2) of Public Service Act number 19 of 2003 and on taking into account the current situation in the public service sector,`` said the minister.
Ghasia added that due to lack of funds to cover the proposed increase in the fiscal year 2007/08, they had decided the new salaries be paid effective July.
She said come June, this year, the government would pay in full all workers getting minimum pay arrears for six months arising from accumulated dues between January and June.
``Reward` is a legal contract reached between the government and public servants in a period of twelve months in consideration to the Act that governs `Direct Dialogue` in the public service sector,`` said Minister Ghasia, adding that there would be no further discussion on salary increase until after the next twelve months.
She, however, said that the government would spend about 200bn/- to cover the increased salary bill.
Last year, trade unions made a call for a wage rise in both the private and public service sectors.
Trade unions representing the public service sector had demanded a controversial salary increase of up to 315,000/- per month.
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