Civil Servants Oppose Salary Increment Proposal in Ethiopia

Civil servants in Ethiopia are opposing a new salary increment plan. They argue that the proposed adjustments do not adequately address the rising cost of living.

Last week, the Ministry of Finance submitted the proposal, which awaits approval from the Council of Ministers. It suggests salary increases of civil servants ranging from 5% to 332% across various pay brackets.

In a letter dated September 4, 2024, addressed to the Prime Minister’s Office, Finance Minister Ahmed Shide outlined the proposed salary hike and noted that an additional budget of 91.4 billion birr would be required.

Many civil servants are calling for changes to the proposal before the Council of Ministers finalizes it. They believe the current plan does not adequately tackle their financial challenges amid rising living costs.

The largest group affected includes 1.1 million workers earning less than 6,000 birr, classified as living below the “extreme poverty line.” This group stands to receive a significant salary increase of up to 332%.

The second group consists of 946,306 workers earning between 6,000 and 10,000 birr, categorized as living below the “standard poverty line.” They would see increases ranging from 17% to 36%.

The third group includes 253,297 workers earning between 10,000 and 20,000 birr, classified under the “moderate poverty line.” This group would receive smaller increments of 5% to 16%.

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