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Government is the country’s biggest single employer and over the years salaries for civil servants have been used as the benchmark by employers in the private sector. The situation, however, changed when the country introduced multi-currency in 2009. Government could not immediately pay salaries as it did not have adequate foreign currency and as such civil servants were just paid allowances for several months.

When revenue inflows improved, Government introduced salaries for civil servants but the salaries were way below those paid in the private sector and the situation has not changed much up to now. Some professionals in the public service are earning far less than general hands in the private sector. The different unions representing the civil servants have been pushing for a review of their salaries and conditions of services.

This has seen public workers downing tools several times to push Government to increase their salaries. Early this year Government increased civil servants’ salaries by 5,3 percent but the impact was not significant given the level of salaries for government workers. The morale among civil servants is very low as many of them are finding it difficult to meet even the basics. There is therefore need to overhaul the whole civil servants salary structure if the Public Service is to retain its past status of employer of first choice.

Civil servants should be commended for  their commitment to duty despite the poor salaries. What should, however, be comforting to civil servants is that Government is aware of their plight. The President Cde Mugabe has in fact made an undertaking to address the issue of poor civil servants’ salaries this year.

Addressing  thousands of people that thronged the National Heroes’ Acre in Harare to commemorate Heroes’ Day on Monday, Cde Mugabe said the incoming Zanu–PF Government will increase the salaries of civil servants and improve their conditions of service as part of its fulfillment of promises made during the just ended harmonised elections. “Government is concerned about the welfare of members of the Public Service and will continue to implement strategies aimed at improving their conditions of service,” said Cde Mugabe.

He said Government had promised to address the issue of salaries and conditions of service for civil servants and will ensure this promise is fulfilled this year. The Public Service can only provide an efficient service if it is able to retain and attract highly skilled manpower. This is only possible if the salaries and conditions of service are comparable to those in the private sector.

The obtaining scenario whereby professionals in the private sector earn far less than some general hands in the private sector is not acceptable. It is time professionals in the Public Service are paid salaries commensurate with their qualifications. In the past it was a source of pride to work for the Government because one was guaranteed not just a good salary but job security as well. Paying a salary commensurate with one’s qualifications does not just motivate the worker to deliver but also encourages other workers to strive to attain higher qualifications.

Civil servants who continue to sacrifice their time to improve themselves academically or professionally should be rewarded by being paid higher salaries. We are cognisant of the Government’s competing priorities but the issue of poor civil servants salaries has taken too long to address.

We want a motivated staff within the Public Service which is able to deliver. It is the Government workers that are supposed to create a conducive environment for investment hence the need to ensure the Public Service is efficient. We want at this juncture to implore civil servants to work hard to enable Government to meet its targets of improving revenue inflows which will enable it to pay them better salaries.