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Lovemore Ranga Mataire Features Writer
THE decision to award salary increments to civil servants is a commendable move likely to boost morale and improve effective implementation of Government policies.
Although the salary increments were overdue, the final agreement put to rest allegations of insincerity on the part of government in giving decent remuneration to its workforce.
The Government needed to tread cautiously given the fact that civil servants make up 90 percent of the formal workforce and any industrial action would have rendered redundant immediately any policy measures meant to stimulate economic growth.
There is always a sense of pride in working for the State especially when one feels appreciated in executing national policies meant to transform lives of citizens in a substantive manner.
However, this sense of accomplishment can sometimes be dashed by poor remuneration.
It was also critical for the Zanu-PF Government to deliver on its election manifesto, which among other pertinent matters promised to improve the welfare of workers.
According to the new salary structure, the lowest paid worker would get US$282 as basic salary, US$100 transport allowance and US$116 housing allowance, bringing the total to US$500 up from US$297.
Out of 230 000 civil servants, 60 percent are teachers who are pegged at US$314 basic salary, US$100 transport and US$116 housing allowance adding up to US$530 per month from about US$448.
There is no doubt that the civil servants’ increment is likely to have a serious contagion effect on various facets of the economy including improved spending which will in turn positively result in the circulation of money at a time when the economy is stunted by a liquidity crunch.
Studies have shown that consumption usually responds to anticipated income increases over and above what is implied by average models of consumption.
Long made captive by debt accrued from higher-purchases offered by some retail shops, it is envisaged that the increment will in some way ease the burden of being in a perennial rat race.
The positive aspect of the salary adjustments is that the remuneration will also be based on performance, experience and educational background. This will consequently increase the competitiveness of the workforce in delivering set targets.
The job revaluation and rationalisation initiated by Government a few years back must also be carried forward with the aim of establishing a lean and competitive workforce.
A casual assessment of our public service gives the impression of a bloated workforce which the job evaluation exercise must quantitatively and qualitatively rationalise.
The agreed salary increments also means that the Government as a matter of survival and fundamental necessity seek sustainable ways of generating revenue to sustain its enlarged wage bill.
The country’s balance sheet is currently maladjusted in that we are importing more than we are exporting. Our imports hover around US$6 billion while our exports are a mere US$4 billion.
This dire scenario is sure proof of acute industrial stagnation, which can be attributed to among other things the Western-engineered sanctions and the failure by most companies to adjust from local currency to a multi-currency economic environment.
Given this dire scenario, it is incumbent upon government to ensure that funding is channelled towards critical sectors of the economy to stimulate industrial regeneration.
Besides mining, agriculture is still a major pillar of the economy and the current budgetary allocations to Agri-Bank do not seem to reflect this realisation.
It must be obvious to those in Government and the private sector that its no longer business as usual.
This was aptly captured by the Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Professor Jonathan Moyo in a recent address to students doing Joint Command and Staff Course Number 27 in Harare when he said the Government was committed in dealing with the rot in the public sector.
Prof Moyo said the re-alignment of packages of packages and prices was in line with the implementation of the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset), which is ushering in a new national economic model that required new politics and new mindset.
His remarks came in the context of reports that the chief executive officer of the Premier Service Medical Aid Society Mr Cuthbert Dube was earning a US$230 000 basic monthly salary while suspended ZBC chief executive Mr Happison Muchechetere was taking home US$40 000 per month.
Speculation that other bosses running parastatals are earning “obscene” salaries does not augur well with the generality of the Zimbabwean populace who are expectantly waiting for the Zanu-PF Government to deliver on its election promises and improve the economic situation in the country.
Similarly, the private sector also needs to realign itself to the new realities by coming up with a structure that is not top-heavy while at the same time awarding decent remuneration to workers.
In the same vein, the tendency by the retail sector to astronomically adjust prices each time civil servants get an increment must also be curtailed as it borders on nothing, but profiteering.
Online Reporter