20100103
africanews

Gambia civil servants are to receive a salary increment of 20% this year, President Yahya Jammeh announced on the eve of the year 2010. He said the salary adjustment applies to all categories of civil servants, but urged them to work hard saying some civil servants are "very lazy."

President Jammeh’s pledge came just days after the country’s parliamentarians expressed concern about the plight of civil servants. The prices of basic commodities including sugar, rice, oil among others continue to hike over the last 10 years, whilst the salaries of civil servants remain low.

The legislators say the wage of civil servant cannot keep up with their commitments especially at a time when the prices of commodities are increasing.

Some civil servants expressed their satisfaction with the government’s promise in different radio and television phone-in programmes across the country.

An opposition MP Momodou L K Sanneh of the United Democratic Party drew the attention of the House before going on recess on the civil service reform package that was overwhelmingly voted for.

The package which was approved in April 2009 was to keep the critical experts of the civil service from cross carpeting to the private sector for better offers.