HC Deb 19 March 1947 vol 435 cc73-4W
84. Mr. Skinnard

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give representative examples of wages paid to native administration employees in Nigeria; to what extent the Nigerian Government is responsible for these wage rates; and whether he will hold an inquiry into the wages paid to servants of native administrations.

Mr. Creech Jones

As the answer to the first part of the Question involves a number of figures, I am circulating it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. As regards the remainder of the Question, the rates of wages are determined by the Native Authorities after consultation with officers of the Nigerian Government, which is now examining the possibility of revising and consolidating native administration rates of pay on the lines adopted for central government services as a result of the recommendations of the Harragin Report.

Following is the Reply to the First Part of the Question:

There are seven grades of native administration salaries which are paid according to the qualifications of the employee and the responsibilities of the post. Examples are as follow:

  • Grade I.—£240 per annum by increments of £12 to £300, e.g. Chief Scribe.
  • Grade II.—£140 per annum by increments of £10 to £220, e.g. Supervisor of Prisons.
  • Grade III.—£80 per annum by increments of £8 to £128, e.g. Dispenser.
  • Grade IV.—£48 per annum by increments of £6 to £72, e.g. Storekeeper, and Nurse.
  • Grade V.—£24 per annum by increments of £3 to £48, e.g. Forest Ranger, Sanitary Inspector, Elementary School Teacher.
  • Grade VI.—£15 per annum by increments of 30s. to £24, e.g. Village scribe, Messenger.
  • Grade VII.—£12 per annum by increments of 12s. to £18, e.g. Woman Health Visitor, Arabic Teacher.
Posts with the same designation may be differently graded in different native administrations. In addition to these basic salaries employees receive cost of living allowance which varies according to the locality from between 37½ per cent. and 75 per cent. of the basic rate. There is also a large number of super scale posts held by high chiefs and officials. Daily labour is paid at the basic rate between 4d. and 3s. rd. per day according to locality, with a cost of living allowance varying from between 40 per cent. and 150 per cent, of the basic rate.