Compensation Practices in the Nigerian Public Service: Analysis of Wage Differential
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Date
2019
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Publisher
Journal of Administrative Science
Abstract
In spite of global conventions, declarations, and other legal framework established to promote equity in
compensation for work of equal value and to abolish discriminatory reward system in both public and
private sector organizations, discriminatory compensation has remained unabated in Nigerian public
service. Although, several attempt has been made to redress these anomalies but proved abortive. This
study acknowledges the various theoretical arguments to justify pay disparity. The main thrust of this
paper centers on examining the pattern of inter-sectorial wage structure. The study adopted secondary
source of data where figures of salary structure were extracted from the quarterly report of National
Salaries, Income, and Wages Commission; data collated were analyzed using coefficient of variation.
This paper found a huge pay gap (i.e., highly discriminatory) wage structure which could obviously
transcend to industrial disharmony, hence affect public service stability and effective performance. The
study holds firm convictions that pay parity amongst categories of workers in workplace is sin qua non to
harmonious working environment (quid pro quo). Therefore, the study recommends that pay equity
remains a fundamental human right, most especially for worker whose job description, objective, and
criteria for recruitment are similar, this is capable of bridging the inequality gap, promote mentorship,
and stability, hence strengthened institutional capacity for better service delivery.