Amaechi Rejects NIMASA Salary Increment Request, Worries About NRC’s Salary Scheme

The Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi
Amaechi has revealed that he rejected a salary increment request by
the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)
because he preferred to attend to salary increment request from
poorly paid agencies under the Federal Ministry of
Transportation.

Responding to enquiries on the remuneration of railway workers
during a recent inspection of the standard gauge rail project in
Lagos, Rotimi Amaechi explained that even though he lacked the
powers to unilaterally increase the salaries of railway workers, he
will support their quest for better remuneration.

According to the Honourable Minister of Transportation, “The
Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is one of the most poorly paid
agencies under the Federal Ministry of Transportation. But I lack
the power to increase their salaries even though I will join them
to push for a review of their salaries.

“Recently, NIMASA came to me with a request that I should
increase their salary. I declined. They reminded me of what the law
says; that every five years, their salaries should be reviewed. I
told them to tell the law to wait. I told NIMASA that the five
years stated in the law is dependent on availability of cash. They
(NIMASA) told me that they make more money for government, and I
replied to them that government is not making any money because we
are looking for money to run the government. So, I have asked
NIMASA to send their request to the Federal Government; that I
don’t agree with it.

“The agency that has not had any salary increment in the last 10
to 15 years is the NRC, and we need to jointly focus on that to see
that their salaries are increased. Do I have the powers to
implement? No; it is the Presidency and the Salary and Wages
Commission that have such powers.”

On the relocation of scanners from Apapa port by the Nigeria
Customs Service (NCS), Amaechi explained that he will be having a
meeting with the Comptroller General of Customs because the
facility has not been relocated.

Recall that in April of 2021, Rotimi Amaechi revealed that the
NCS has agreed to demolish the Customs scanner site obstructing the
laying of tracks into the Apapa port which would be done within six
months.

Amaechi, in a statement by his Media Assistant, Taiye
Elebiyo-Edeni, said decision was reached to create a temporary
alternative route inside the port during the period of the
demolition.

“We have decided in the meeting that a temporary alternative
route would be established inside the port while they start
demolishing, after which the rail track will be laid and also a
survey will be done under the water to find out about the
cracks.

“We have also decided that the drainage should be expanded to
accommodate more water to reduce the flood on the rail track. There
are three tracks, only one track is not able to enter the port
which will be resolved. They should be able to remove the customs
building in six months,” Amaechi had said in April.

The Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi
Amaechi has revealed that he rejected a salary increment request by
the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)
because he preferred to attend to salary increment request from
poorly paid agencies under the Federal Ministry of
Transportation.

Responding to enquiries on the remuneration of railway workers
during a recent inspection of the standard gauge rail project in
Lagos, Rotimi Amaechi explained that even though he lacked the
powers to unilaterally increase the salaries of railway workers, he
will support their quest for better remuneration.

According to the Honourable Minister of Transportation, “The
Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is one of the most poorly paid
agencies under the Federal Ministry of Transportation. But I lack
the power to increase their salaries even though I will join them
to push for a review of their salaries.

“Recently, NIMASA came to me with a request that I should
increase their salary. I declined. They reminded me of what the law
says; that every five years, their salaries should be reviewed. I
told them to tell the law to wait. I told NIMASA that the five
years stated in the law is dependent on availability of cash. They
(NIMASA) told me that they make more money for government, and I
replied to them that government is not making any money because we
are looking for money to run the government. So, I have asked
NIMASA to send their request to the Federal Government; that I
don’t agree with it.

“The agency that has not had any salary increment in the last 10
to 15 years is the NRC, and we need to jointly focus on that to see
that their salaries are increased. Do I have the powers to
implement? No; it is the Presidency and the Salary and Wages
Commission that have such powers.”

On the relocation of scanners from Apapa port by the Nigeria
Customs Service (NCS), Amaechi explained that he will be having a
meeting with the Comptroller General of Customs because the
facility has not been relocated.

Recall that in April of 2021, Rotimi Amaechi revealed that the
NCS has agreed to demolish the Customs scanner site obstructing the
laying of tracks into the Apapa port which would be done within six
months.

Amaechi, in a statement by his Media Assistant, Taiye
Elebiyo-Edeni, said decision was reached to create a temporary
alternative route inside the port during the period of the
demolition.

“We have decided in the meeting that a temporary alternative
route would be established inside the port while they start
demolishing, after which the rail track will be laid and also a
survey will be done under the water to find out about the
cracks.

“We have also decided that the drainage should be expanded to
accommodate more water to reduce the flood on the rail track. There
are three tracks, only one track is not able to enter the port
which will be resolved. They should be able to remove the customs
building in six months,” Amaechi had said in April.