Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The Executive Chairman, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Dr. Richard Onwuka Egbule has called on staff of the commission to get acquainted with the Act establishing the commission.
This, according to him, will enable them to know the enormous contributions and importance of the commission to the development of the civil service and overall welfare of public service and to avoid being a pushover when it comes to salaries and wages administration in the country.
Egbule made this known in Abuja while handing over to Ekpo Nta, as the Acting Chairman of the commission.
A statement from the Chief Press Secretary, Emma Njoku noted that Egbule handed over to the commissioner in-charge of Compensation in the Commission, Ekpo Nta after the completion of his statutory 10 years tenure. Egbule who described his 10 years as the Executive Chairman as historical being the first to complete two tenures and the first chairman as the pioneer staff of the commission from inception in 1992. In his remarks, the Acting Chairman, National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, who noted that anybody taking over from Egbule must be stepping into a big shoe, because of his achievements in the commission and called for the co-operation of staff to lift the commission to a greater height.
Ekpo Nta, who until his appointment was also the former Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC), urged the staff to continue to uphold legacies of hard work, modesty, and humility left behind by Egbule. Egbule started his working career as an Administrative Officer on grade level 08 in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and rose to the post of Chief Management Consultant in the same office in 1992.
He became a pioneer staff of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission in 1992 and worked with the pioneer Secretary, Chief A. O. Okafor to structure and build the commission with the best professional practice. This task, he carried out most diligently, producing the needed structural framework and manning levels of the commission without the use of any external consultant.
He was later appointed Acting Head of the Compensation Department – one of six of such Departments in the commission. As Acting Head of Department, he was said to have steered the Compensation Department to the prime position of the mainstay of the commission. From there he rose to Deputy Director in 1999 and became a Director, Compensation in January 2004, and appointed the Secretary to the commission in 2006.