New cash incentives for Public Officials

Government will early next year, introduce a new salary scheme that will convert non-wage benefits of public officials into cash. The programme is however expected to be implemented in phases beginning with the Selective Accelerated Salary Enhancement Scheme (SASEA).

When introduced, benefits such as accommodation, official cars, watchman, cleaners and house helps will be abolished and government officials would have to pay for these from their own pockets as the allowance would have been paid to them.

Last year, government spent over ?15billion to renovate and remodel residences of top government officials alone.

According to a Business and Financial Times report, government is keenly considering monitisation as an option to attract, recruit, motivate and retain skilled workers in the public sector.

According to the report, recommendation is based on a recent study of labour cost in the private sector in the country and cabinet is seriously considering most of the benefits to cash. “This is what pertains in the private sector,” officials say.

Other issues critically being reviewed are performance of public officials and job descriptions, while top government officials who fail to meet their target three times would lose their job.

Government will also institute the necessary regulatory framework to close down and create new institutions to improve the governance of public institutions and their relevance to the national economy.