Health workers’ July salaries to delay
Salaries for health workers are this month expected to delay following communication from Ministry of Health (MoH) Principal Secretary Dan Namarika to government hospital directors informing them of the impending development.
Meanwhile, Civil Servants Trade Union (CSTU) says it is likely that other government ministries, departments and agencies might be affected as government is trying its best to ensure that it starts paying new salaries this month so that workers are not owed arrears.
In a circular dated July 17 2017 Ref. No. ADM/13/83 signed by NamarikaThe Nation has seen, the delay in processing of the salaries is a result of some changes that have to be made following salary increments and top-up allowances for the health workers.
Reads the circular in part: “I write to inform you that following the salary increments and new top-up allowances for health workers, there have been delays in processing end of July salaries as the changes have to be included in the payroll. This essentially means that end of July salaries may also be delayed. However, all efforts are being made to ensure that the salaries are still being processed in good time.”
The circular further advises the hospital directors to inform staff about the impending delay to avoid speculations and unnecessary distortions.
But CSTU general secretary MadalitsoNjolomole, while acknowledging seeing the circular, said that as every government ministry and department is trying hard to put the salaries into effect this month, delays are likely to occur.
“In fact, I have seen the circular, but I am not aware if some ministries and departments have issued circulars as well. But still, I am expecting that it can affect a few departments and ministries because with the change in salary structures, government is trying hard to make sure that we receive the salaries this month,” he said.
But in an interview, secretary to Treasury, Ben Botolo said he was surprised to learn that MoH issued the circular, saying it would have passed through his office.
He said: “It is news to me that Ministry of Health has done that because normally what happens is that there are procedures as they have to submit what they call government Paper Number Five to the Department of Human Resource and Development and from there the salaries are uploaded. As a matter of fact, we are funding them.”
Last month, CSTU asked government to raise salaries of the least paid civil servant from K60 000 basic salary to K75 000, representing a 25 percent hike, or face a nationwide strike.
However, both CSTU and Government’s Negotiating Team (GNT) agreed that the minimum entry point for the lowest paid servant be increased to K72 000 from K60 000 per month, and that civil servants in grades K, L and M get reasonable pay hikes.
Initially, government proposed a 10 percent increment that Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe announced in the 2017/18 National Budget statement in Parliament.
