The Minister of State for Steel, Uba Ahmadu, has refuted the widely circulated claim that ministers in President Bola Tinubu's Cabinet earn N30 million monthly.
Speaking in an interview on Channels Television's Morning Brief programme, he urged the public to seek accurate information on ministers' earnings through the revenue mobilisation agency rather than relying on speculative figures.
Ahmadu clarified that the actual salaries of ministers are significantly lower than the figures being reported in the media and on social platforms.
He described the rumours as exaggerated and misleading, emphasising that ministers' salaries are, in reality, modest.
He assured the public that if they verify the information through official channels, they will find that the compensation is not as lavish as portrayed.
The minister's comments come amidst growing public scrutiny and debate over the remuneration of public office holders in Nigeria.
Many Nigerians have expressed concerns about the perceived disconnect between the economic hardships faced by ordinary citizens and the supposedly high earnings of government officials.
These concerns have fuelled discussions about the transparency and fairness of government salaries.
Addressing these concerns directly, Ahmadu stated that he, along with many of his colleagues, would be willing to serve the country without any financial compensation.
He highlighted that for many in the current administration, the primary motivation is the opportunity to contribute to national development rather than personal financial gain.
Ahmadu's statement aims to reassure the public that the ministers are focused on serving the nation rather than benefiting from high salaries.
Ahmadu said, ''There is nothing to hide here; I'm a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and it is an honour to serve my country.
"And I can do this for free; most of my colleagues can serve this country without having to receive the salary.
"However, the revenue mobilisation agency is an agency of government, which you can assess to know what we earn monthly as ministers.
"The salaries of ministers is nothing to write home about; we don't earn N30M monthly. So the figures in the public domain are not true, and they are false.
"We are grateful for the opportunity of being chosen out of 250 million Nigerians to serve the nation.''
Watch the interview video here (start from 17:46).
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