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News: Gov't workers report delayed salary increase despite Civil Service Commission's announcement of disbursement

Civil servants boarding a bus operated by the Public Service Transport Service, an entity that administers a state-funded program providing free transportation to government employees (Photo: the Public Service Transport Service/Facebook)

Addis Abeba – Despite an announcement by the Civil Service Commission that civil servants received the new salary increment in their October payments, many federal employees and workers in the Addis Abeba municipality told Addis Standard that they have yet to see the adjustment.

A senior investigator at the Federal Police Commission, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “We haven’t been paid yet, even though we were hoping it would start in October.”

Similarly, a professor at the Ethiopian Civil Service University confirmed that neither he nor his colleagues have received the promised increase, adding that they have not received any official confirmation of its implementation from the Civil Service Commission.

Employees from the Information Network Security Administration (INSA) and the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) have also reported that they have not received the salary increment.

Among Addis Abeba city administration workers, several civil servants in Yeka, Bole, and Lemi-Kura sub-cities told Addis Standard they have not received the increase.

“I thought the salary increase would start this month and hoped it would help me, but now I’m not sure when the government will make it happen,” said a civil servant from Bole Sub-city.

Despite these reports, Mekuria Haile, Commissioner of the Civil Service Commission, stated in a social media post on 08 November that the Ministry of Finance has granted permission for additional payments to relevant institutions and claimed that “our office has disbursed the adjusted October salary.”

He noted that while several institutions have completed the necessary payments, others might still be finalizing the process. “Those who have not completed the payment may still be in preparation,” he stated, adding that these institutions are expected to disburse the adjusted October salary once the necessary arrangements are finalized.

The Commissioner acknowledged “circulating rumors” suggesting delays or non-implementation of the approved salary increase but emphasized the importance of relying on “official and verified information” from the Civil Service Commission.

Contrary to the Commissioner’s statement, government workers who spoke to Addis Standard anonymously reported not only that they have yet to receive the increment but also that their lives have become a “constant struggle,” particularly in recent months.

“We were anticipating a salary increase,” said a civil servant employed at St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College. “However, we learned that it has been delayed once again.”

The father of three noted that he has not received the salary adjustment and added that “no official notice has been issued to us regarding any salary adjustment.”

The civil servant, who earns a monthly salary of 6,000 birr, argued that while he and his colleagues wait for the salary adjustment, the cost of living continues to rise. “My current salary is nowhere near enough to support my family,” he emphasized. “Life has become a struggle, and even thinking about it feels overwhelming.”

He urged the government to expedite the salary adjustment, considering the financial strain civil servants are currently facing.

“Nowadays, you may find yourself skipping meals just to stretch your budget for family needs, while the little income we earn is barely enough to keep up,” he remarked. “Life is becoming increasingly difficult, and everything seems to be weighing us down.”

Another civil servant, employed as a graphic designer at a government institution and earning a monthly salary of 10,000 birr, also expressed frustration over the delay in the promised salary increase announced more than two months ago.

“Nothing has come through,” he shared. “Even if it does happen, the proposed raise won’t keep pace with the current high cost of living.” He noted that, even with a salary adjustment, it remains extremely difficult to live on a government income.

“Prices are rising faster than our pay,” he stated. “I’m currently sharing a place with a friend to make ends meet, but even that is challenging.”

Reports of a planned salary adjustment for over 2.4 million government employees first emerged in early August 2024, following Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s announcement of a potential increase of up to 300% for public servants.

This salary proposal was introduced against the backdrop of the government’s macroeconomic reform, launched in late July 2024, aimed at mitigating inflationary pressures for low- and fixed-income earners.

In early September 2024, the Ministry of Finance submitted a proposal to the Council of Ministers, requesting formal approval for a substantial wage increase for public servants.

In a letter dated 03 September, 2024, Finance Minister Ahmed Shide addressed the Prime Minister’s Office, outlining the proposed salary adjustments and noting that, if approved, the changes would take effect on September 11, 2024.

The Ministry’s proposal specified a wage increase of up to 332%, raising the minimum monthly salary for government employees from 1,100 birr to 4,760 birr. Meanwhile, those earning the highest salary of 20,468 birr would receive a 5% increase, amounting to an additional 1,023 birr.

However, the proposal was delayed for more than a month, only receiving approval in early October.

On 04 October, 2024, Finance Minister Ahmed announced that the salary adjustment would be backdated to September and would be paid starting at the end of the month.

In a recent address to parliament, PM Abiy outlined the challenges involved in implementing the salary increase for 2.4 million civil servants. He attributed these challenges to “complex data issues” and emphasized the need for coordination between the federal and regional governments (Photo: HoPR/Facebook)

In a recent address to parliament, Prime Minister Abiy explained the challenges in implementing the salary increase, citing complex data issues and the necessity of federal and regional government coordination.

“Regarding salary, we agreed to an increase,” PM Abiy stated. “But implementation requires support not only from the federal government but also from regional state governments.”

PM Abiy highlighted inconsistencies in regional data on law enforcement personnel as an example, noting, “In some regions, even accounting for militia, the reported number of police is inaccurate.”

According to the Prime Minister, the government has allocated 91 billion birr to fund the reform starting in October. However, he underscored the importance of proper verification, emphasizing, “If these measures are not implemented correctly, resources will be misallocated. Without clarity in executing the reform, the reform itself will fail.”

A comprehensive study conducted by the Ministry of Finance and the Civil Service Commission reveals that, among the 2.4 million civil servants, 1.1 million (47.94%) earn less than 6,000 birr per month, placing them below the extreme poverty line.

Another segment of 946,306 civil servants earns between 6,000 and 10,000 birr per month and is classified as living below the standard poverty line.

Additionally, approximately 253,297 government employees earn over 10,000 birr monthly.

The study concludes that nearly half of government employees are living in extreme poverty and are disproportionately impacted by the rising cost of living. AS

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