ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Nigerians have condemned the political class over their insensitivity towards their plight during this hard time as they feed on the masses through their huge salaries.
Some residents who spoke with voiceofnaija.ng said the salaries of lawmakers should be reduced in line with the salary structure of civil servants.
This is coming following calls from different quarters calling for the urgent need to slash salaries of government appointees and lawmakers in the upper and lower chambers.
Recently Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, faulted the salaries paid to members of the National Assembly.
He noted that the salaries received by the members were not based on the recommendations of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission.
In a chat with our correspondent in Abuja, a trader, Oshamaye Comfort, said there’s an urgent need to review the salaries of the lawmakers for equity and for the masses to enjoy the dividend of democracy.
She said: “The government needs to look into the matter because political officers and lawmakers out of greed extort the masses massively instead of serving them by providing basic amenities promised during Campaigns and manifesto delivery.”
According to her, politicians should be paid according to the salary structure of the civil servants where the minimum wage is N30,000 as against the millions of naira the National Assembly members receive monthly.
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Also, Elizabeth Ofubu said the Lawmakers and political officeholders need to sacrifice like the masses who are facing hardship due to the economy.
She said the reduction in their salaries is long overdue and now is the right time to make things right.
“Calls for reduction of salaries of lawmakers and political officeholders are not uncommon in countries across the globe and Nigeria is no exception. When a country faces economic hardships, such as high unemployment rates, inflation, or a struggling economy, it’s natural for people to question the salaries and benefits of those in power.
“So, reducing the salaries of lawmakers and political officeholders would be a way to demonstrate solidarity with the masses and also allocate resources more efficiently. It may also send a message that the government is willing to make sacrifices during tough times,” Ofubu explained.
She, however, urged the government to address critical issues that will fast-track the development of the nation.
The Abuja resident noted that: “reducing salaries alone may not have a significant impact on the overall economic situation if underlying structural issues are not addressed, issues as evaluating budgetary allocations, improving fiscal responsibility, tackling corruption, and promoting transparency.
“It is very important to strike a balance between providing fair compensation to public officials and ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently to address the needs of the citizens.”
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Corroborating Ofubu, an Architect, Felix Adesida, said reducing the salaries of lawmakers is a good move but there’s a need to also fight corruption and embezzlement
“It sounds like a good beginning but it has close to zero effect on the economy,” he said.
Felix further noted that “The move is only a prudent and ethical thing to do and its only major side effect would be making leadership less attractive. But then salaries are but only a paltry of what people in government siphon. There’s is corruption and embezzlement to still make the seat worth fighting for.”
Juliet Buna, another Nigerian who spoke with our correspondent, said that some of the money allocated to the politicians can be spread across other sectors.
“Some of the monies allocated to them can be spread across the board in other critical areas. For instance, lecturers, and doctors go on strike mostly because of poor remuneration.
“The money recovered from slashing their salaries can be used in paying other people’s salaries,” she offered.