Former President Olusegun Obasanjo last Friday stirred fresh controversy concerning the outrageous take-home pay of our federal lawmakers when he chided them for fixing their own salaries and allowances which he described as immoral.
President Obasanjo made the accusation while receiving six members of the House of Representatives who are co-sponsors of bills on single term / rotational presidency led by Ugochinyere Ikenga representing Ideato North and Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo state.
At the meeting, Obasanjo said, "With all due respect, you're not supposed to fix your salaries. But you decide what you pay yourself, the allowances that you give yourselves. You give yourselves all sorts of things, and you know it is not right.
It is immoral, yet you are doing it, the Senate is doing it, and you are beating your chests about it. In some cases, the executive gives you what you're not entitled to. You all got N200 million each."
The Senate in a statement last Sunday refuted the claims by Obasanjo stating that they were lies. Putting up a defence of the lawmakers however, Mohammed Shehu, the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, the body responsible for fixing salaries and allowances of public servants, in a statement last Tuesday said that "each of the 109 senators in the upper chamber receives a total of N1.06m as salary and allowances per month."
A breakdown of their monthly earnings as prescribed by the Commission showed that each Senator collects a monthly salary and allowances of N1,063,860, consisting of a basic salary of N168,866:70; motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance allowance, N126,650:00; and personal assistant, N42,216:66. Others include domestic staff,126,650:00; entertainment, N50,660:00; utilities, N50,660:00; newspapers/periodicals, N25,330:00; wardrobe, N42,216,66:00; house maintenance, N8,443.33:00; and constituency allowance, N422,166:66.
The Chairman of the Commission in the statement noted that "any allegation regarding other allowance(s) being enjoyed by any political, public office holder outside those provided in the Remuneration (Amendment) Act, 2008 should be explained by the person who made the allegation".
However, in a riposte to the claim by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission that senators are paid N1m as salary, serving senator, Sumaila Kawu, representing Kano South senatorial district on Wednesday disclosed a hitherto closely-guarded secret about the exact amount senators take home every month. Speaking on BBC Hausa Service, Senator Kawu said, his salary and allowances were about N1m and after deductions, it amounted to about N600,000 but his total take home package every month was N21m.
Recall that the Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt in the 8th Senate, Senator Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna Central at the Senate had once publicly disclosed that each Senator then, collected a monthly running cost of N13.5m in addition to the monthly N750,000 prescribed by the commission which has now been reviewed upward.
Senator Kawu's disclosure that each senator now earns N21m monthly has elicited sharp reactions from Nigerians who described it as scandalous in the midst of the country's struggling economy and widespread poverty.
They decried a situation whereby 80% of the citizens cannot afford three square meals per day while a selected few are receiving humongous pay for doing next to nothing. Nigerians lamented that our representatives do not go into political office to serve Nigeria but to make money for themselves to the detriment of the general well being of the country.
They therefore want the relevant government agencies to prosecute members of the National Assembly for contravening the extant laws by fixing their own salaries and allowances.
Our lawmakers are there for themselves, not for the people - Abia monarch
Paramount traditional ruler of Abiriba ancient kingdom of Abia State, HRM Eze Kalu Kalu Ogbu (Anachoken Abiriba), said that "Nigeria lawmakers are only after their personal welfare and not bothered about the needs of the masses.
It is regrettable that some of our public office holders had taken Nigeria as their personal estate where only making profits is all that matters to them. It is very sad. Nigerian youths should therefore keep asking questions and demanding that the right things be done for the good of all".
Leaders should be thinking of how to fix the country - Archbishop Raphael Opoko
The Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia Ecclesiastical Diocese, Archbishop Raphael Opoko, said it called for concern if indeed senators go home with such a jumbo allowance every month especially at a time many Nigerians could not afford their daily meal.
According to him, "if it's indeed true that a Senator collects a monthly allowance of N21 million, and minimum wage for workers is N70,000, then something is definitely wrong with the country.
Our hospitals are not working; the economy is collapsing. Leaders should be thinking of how to fix the country, and not how to collect jumbo allowances. This casts doubt on the quality of persons we have as leaders".
Those fleecing the nation should be punished-Algoa Morris
Former chairman Civil Liberties Organisation, Bayelsa State, Algoa Morris, said: "Those who have been given the privilege to man public offices have turned such to their cocoa farms. Today Nigeria does not have a national carrier, after they milked and grounded the Nigerian Airways. The NNPCL too is wobbling.
Nigeria should do something about this fleecing of the nation by political office holders. Legislators can work on a part-time basis or their number can be reduced and allowances slashed drastically.
If these people in the National Assembly are patriotic, they should not even take N10m in the name of allowances. It is very sad, unfortunate and unacceptable."
Our lawmakers are insensitive -Elder Joseph Ambakederimo
Elder Joseph Ambakederimo, Convener South South Reawakening Group said: "It is preposterous that the salary of public officers is being shrouded in secrecy. What are they hiding that is not an open secret already.
It is insensitive for a set of people to appropriate such humongous amount as allowances. These outrageous salaries and allowances drain our limited resources at a time when our finances are low. Therefore the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission should be bold and prosecute those who have gone out of their way to appropriate resources outside of the law to themselves."
RMAFC are partners with National Assembly -Furoebi Akene
Furoebi Akene, chairman, Centre for Environmental Preservation and Development (CEPAD) said: "Nigeria is known to be notoriously and fantastically corrupt.
They assume every other person is a fool to believe them. They always say the Nigerian populace are toothless who can talk but cannot bite.
Can someone spend hundreds of millions of naira or even over a billion naira to contest elections just to go and earn a million naira a month for four years? The RMAFC cannot tell Nigerians the truth because they are partners in crime with the National Assembly and others".
Our legislators should cut down their allowances -Mohammed Danlami
Speaker of Arewa Youth Assembly, Mohammed Salihu Danlami said: "It is so sad today that our elected representatives have abused the trust we invested in them by their selfishness. It is quite disheartening to know that those we elected to represent us at the Senate and the House of Representatives and Houses of Assemblies across states, now represent only themselves and their families.
Our Senators and Rep Members should as a matter of urgency, show some solidarity by cutting down their bogus allowances so as to free funds for other human capital projects that can better the lives of the people they represent.
Compromises, corruption responsible for lawmakers' recklessness - MBF
The Middle Belt Forum, MBF, blamed a governance system that thrives on compromises and corruption for the humongous allowances Nigerian lawmakers take home in relation to their performances and commitment to duty. The National President of the MBF, Dr. Pogu Bitrus who spoke on the issue in Makurdi, said, "nobody is ready to serve Nigeria, people look for offices just to make money and this is really unfortunate.
The problem we have is that we have a governance system that has only survived on compromises, corruption and bribery. The executive allows the legislators to do whatever they like, appropriating money for themselves because of the fear that the executive has for the legislature.
The Revenue Mobilization Commission is supposed to fix salaries, but the lawmakers ignore it and do whatever they feel like and nobody in the executive can do anything about it because the executive wants to survive and to survive it must allow the lawmakers to have their way.
The only way to tackle this problem is for us to go back to the parliamentary system where the Prime Minister is also a member of Parliament who doesn't have to bribe his colleagues to allow him to be a Prime Minister or to do his job. Also, legislation doesn't have to be a permanent job".
The allowances are scandalous, they should be scrapped -Tope Temokun
Tope Temokun, human right activist and lawyer, said that "All the explosive allowances for public office holders and lawmakers should be scrapped. The first sincerity test for the government is to cut the running cost of governance.
Corruption won't go as far as public office holders see public offices as business. The allowances of political office holders drain the country of blood and oxygen for survival. Politicians break the banks to bankroll elections because they see politics as business. The first thing to do is to cut the earnings of political office holders to make it more of selfless service than business.
The citizens groan under the yoke of hunger because the country's resources are used to subsidize the extravagant lifestyle of those in government through fraudulent allowances being paid to both elected and appointed public office holders. The allowances are scandalous, they should be scrapped. It's not just the allowances that eat deep into our Commonwealth, but the luxuries of elected public office holders that we fund.
RMAFC acting criminally in defiance of court orders - Ogwuche
A Constitutional Lawyer, Chief Festus Ogwuche, submitted that the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMFAC, should be blamed for the confusion in the remuneration of the federal lawmakers, by acting in defiance of 2021 court order.
According to Ogwuche, "there is a subsisting judgment of a Federal High Court, Lagos division presided by Obiozor J in 2021 which compelled the RMAFC to regularly review downward the salaries and allowances of the legislators and bring it in conformity with the economic realities of the day.
That order of court only re-echoed the Constitutional provisions alongside the Commission's mandate under its establishment. Justice Obiozor had rightly stated in the judgment that given the level of extreme poverty ravaging the land, the failure of the Commission to review the salaries and allowances of the legislators is a gross violation of the Constitution.
As at the date of the judgment, the commission had failed to make any such review for more than ten years. Even upon that well thought out decision, the Commission remained indifferent to the clear orders of the court.
That's where the crux of the matter lies. Having failed to abide by the decision of the court in the direction of the downward review of the emoluments we now have a situation where the total take home package for the average lawmaker could get to as high as N21m monthly aside the N1m salary".
We're tired of a system that prioritizes wealth over welfare -Abiodun Bamgboye
The Acting National Chairman of the Socialist Party of Nigeria, Abiodun Bamgboye said , "It is a grave injustice for lawmakers to thrive in luxury while the majority of Nigerians struggle to survive.
A government that fails to address the needs of its people is a government that has lost its way. We demand accountability now! Reform is not just necessary, it is imperative. We need a legislative system that reflects the values and struggles of the people.
The growing outrage among Nigerians is a powerful signal. The people are tired of a system that prioritizes wealth over welfare."
Lawmakers' allowances not in the best interest of Nigerian workers -Lanre Ogunsuyi
Public analyst, Mr Lanre Ogunsuyi, described the bloated remuneration of lawmakers in the National Assembly as the height of insensitivity to the plights of Nigerians. Ogunsuyi, said that the 'bloated salary' is a shame to the nation, as it is not in the best interest of Nigerian workers.
According to him, "it is a shame of a nation for a group of national workers employed by Nigerians to fix their salaries and allowances in contravention of extant laws which mandated the relevant body to fix. These allowances and benefits are not inclusive of other perks like free medical care, housing, and security details. Their total package should be reviewed to reflect the country's economic realities".
Similarly, another public affairs analyst, Mr Debo Ajayi stressed the need for lawmakers to carry their constituents along by interfacing with them through regular communication.
He said, "it's the height of insensitivity for our leaders not to carry the people along in their legislative duties. The citizens are not foreigners, they are their brothers and sisters. When leaders don't carry their people along, they are telling them that they don't care".
Lawmakers' allowances not commensurate with their performances -Moruff Balogun
Former Vice Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Ijebu Ode branch, Moruff Balogun, said,"The allowances of the lawmakers cannot be matched with their performances. The Nigerian leaders must lead by example for meaningful developments to happen in Nigeria.
They must match their words with actions, and stop throwing dust into the peoples' eyes. They cannot be living extravagantly and expect those who are led to fold their arms without raising an eyebrow. After the just conducted nationwide protest against hunger, one would expect the leaders to urgently find lasting solutions to the problems associated with the theme of the protest.
No amount of rules and regulations coupled with sanctions can calm a hungry man. It is high time we started the advocacy for the unicameral legislature. The cost of governance is too high, the Constitution should be amended to create room for a unicameral system. The crowd in the National Assembly is not needed".
Elder Statesman and former Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Anthony Sani said: "Why should our lawmakers earn jumbo pay whereas the laws which they make have never helped the nation socioeconomically, and they are going through hunger and hardship.
Public servants' salaries, allowances shouldn't be shrouded in secrecy - Ogunbiyi Olajunwo
Legal practitioner and social justice advocate, Ogunbiyi Olajunwo contended that, "Salaries and allowances of public servants should not be shrouded in secrecy.
The RMAFC needs to be more transparent and come clean to the public. It is unfortunate for our senators to be earning N21m in a month in a country where over 80% of the citizens cannot afford three square meals per day. We, the citizens, need to rise up and demand the truth from RMAFC."
The real pain is what is looted beyond official entitlements -Zik Gbemre
Zik Gbemre, Coordinator, Niger Delta Peace Coalition, said "the most critical factor inducing the extreme hardship in the country is the greater chunk of the commonwealth that these lawmakers steal through corrupt budget padding, underground and ghost contracts from government and her juicy agencies and departments, car acquisitions and numerous channels for looting that have grounded the country. Reducing the lawmakers' official financial entitlement won't change anything meaningful.
There is so much being looted to corruption beyond bogus salaries. And this is not just about lawmakers in the National Assembly. It cuts across the spectrum of government at all tiers.
There is a need to overhaul every sector and make the government functional. There is no functional system in Nigeria, the entire system has collapsed. Until we have radical leaders with zero tolerance for corruption, nepotism and tribalism, Nigeria will continue to decline and poverty and unemployment will remain unrestrained."
They are just sharing the national cake among themselves -Emmanuel Kuejubola
A public affairs commentator, Mr Emmanuel Kuejubola said: "It is so unfortunate that the persons we elected to represent us have decided to corner our resources for themselves. The N1 million pay is their salary and that is what is taxable while the remaining N20m is not taxable. Apart from this, there are also the constituency projects.
They are just sharing the national cake among themselves. The National Assembly is an opportunity for some people to make money for themselves. When you pay such huge amounts of money to some persons in an economy that is not productive, it will surely have a negative impact on the country".
Our legislators should be paid based on the minimum wage -Ogidi
The president of theNetwork of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria (NOCSON), Comrade Emmanuel Ogidi described our Senators and members of the House of Representatives as anti-people and advocated that they should be paid based on the national minimum wage.
According to him, "these legislators are defrauding the people in a country where the minimum wage cannot buy a bag of rice, where citizens cannot access good medical facilities and where the children of the poor cannot afford basic and proper education, as our higher institutions are now for the children of the rich. Many of the legislators we have today, enjoyed free education during their time owing to good leadership and the resources of this country.
All the money voted for our Senators and members of the House of Representatives which are tagged constituency allowances should be made available for our local governments that engage in grassroot projects. It is not those who are making laws that should be building roads, sinking boreholes or engage in empowerment".
Nigerians need to know the truth -Chief Oladipo Oyewole
Chief Oladipo Oyewole, Secretary General of the Yoruba Council of Elders, YCE,, said, "we believe that this is the moment of truth when our leaders must come clean for us to know the exact situation particularly as the youths are restive and tirelessly asking for reduction in the cost of governance. It is expedient for Nigerians to be told the truth if only to save us any national embarrassment".
Politicians who breach the laws of RMAFC should be penalized -Adeola Fehintola
An Ibadan based legal practitioner, Mr Adeola Fehintola, said, "it is the height of arbitrariness and reckless lawlessness in a constitutional democracy for parliamentarians to breach the laws they enacted for the people through the 1999 constitution as amended,y.
Excesses like this have drained the purse of the commonwealth and turned our lawmakers to demigods as they are now richer than the state. What they embark on are laws that suit their elitist cravings and luxuries at the expense of the majority of Nigerians who wallow in penury and abject impoverishment.
There is an institution that is given the mandate to determine what should be salaries and allowances of our lawmakers and amendments should be made to check uncontrolled and abuse of awards of what constitutes salaries, allowance and severance allowance by our lawmakers and executive officers as provided by the law.
Now, to evaluate the relationship between the quality and functionality of the representation of these lawmakers can be seen in the fruits of dividends of their laws and oversight functions that have not had positive impacts on the quality of standard of living and state of infrastructure in the country.
It is imperative to make the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission penalize politicians who breach its laws using the anti corruption agencies and Code of Conduct Tribunal."
Lawmakers' offices should be identified for micro protest -Esele
Former President of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Peter Esele said, "lawmakers' allowances have been increasing right from the time of Obasanjo as President.
People merely have an increased appetite for aggrandizement. This is not just happening in the National Assembly alone. It is there in the executive and other institutions, it has become a way of life.
As a people, we have to identify the offices of our lawmakers and vent our anger by way of micro-zoning our protest in their offices. That way, we won't disturb the peace of the society.
There must be respect for our value system and the law. Nigerians must hold the leadership of the National Assembly accountable for what they are earning which does not have a commensurate positive impact on the citizens and the media must stay on this development until the NASS does something about it".
Role of RMAFC needs re-evaluation -Suleiman Abdul-Azeez
Spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum, Suleiman Abdul-Azeez, said, "the fiscal irresponsibility and opacity surrounding the fixing of these allowances are indicative of corruption and misapplication of national resources that could be better utilized for public welfare.
The role of the RMAFC in regulating legislative compensation also needs a re-evaluation to ensure transparency, accountability, and genuine public service."
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