The Nigeria Labour Congress on Sunday described as insensitive the move by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission to embark on a comprehensive upward review of the remuneration packages of political office holders across the country.
The move, according to the NLC in a statement by its president, Joe Ajaero, is insensitive, unjust, inequitable and will only succeed in deepening the growing inequality between civil servants and political office holders.
The congress said the move will equally deepen poverty among the generality of Nigerians, the majority of whom have not only been adjudged to be multi-dimensionally poor, but also live miserably poor.
“We have listened with a growing apprehension to the justification for this ill-advised adventure by the Chairman of RMAFC, Mr Mohammed Usman, but we find it appropriate to warn that making public-office a sanctuary for wealth-making (for literally doing nothing) instead of service and sacrifice will raise the stakes/desperation for the quest for public office with its intended and unintended consequences including self-extinction.
“Mohammed Usman’s explanations, largely puerile, insult our collective intelligence as they say nothing of the humongous advantages tied to these offices elegantly couched as perquisites, ways and means, while the poor live only on hopes and dreams (Bob Marley).
“This is aside from other unwritten and unmentionable advantages that set them apart from the other disadvantaged citizenry.
“This exercise is coming at a time of promotion and salary freeze in most public subsectors and the continued imposition/operation of N70,000 minimum wage because there are no resources to pay higher, in spite of insane tariff hikes.
“We recall the last time a wage review (not minimum wage) was done for civil servants, it was not more than 50 per cent. However, when that of political office holders was done a year or so later, it was in excess of 800 per cent.
“Whereas with civil servants, wage reviews or promotions are dependent on resource availability, with political office holders, this rule does not operate.
“We equally note with dismay that whereas states operate different pay structures for civil servants, the pay structures of political office holders are the same across the country. This explains why a Councillor in Yobe State earns the same salary as a Councillor in Rivers State.
“While we recognise the need for good remuneration packages, they should be across the board and equitable and not done on the basis of discrimination, as that runs contrary to the letter and spirit of our constitution.
“One of the most heinous crimes against humanity is the institution and promotion of apartheid in any human setting, no matter how subtle.
“Accordingly, we demand as follows: the current earnings of all political office holders should be made public;
“The benchmark for the proposed review should equally be made public;
RMAFC should put on hold this exercise before it triggers a tsunami.”
PUNCH Online had reported that RMAFC chairman, Mohammed Shehu at a press conference in Abuja, disclosed that President Bola Tinubu earns N1.5m monthly, while ministers received less than N1m, figures that have remained unchanged since 2008.
“You are paying the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria N1.5m a month, with a population of over 200 million people. Everybody believes that it is a joke.
“You cannot pay a minister less than N1m per month since 2008 and expect him to put in his best without necessarily being involved in some other things. You pay either a Central Bank of Nigeria governor or a Director General 10 times more than you pay the President.
“That is just not right. Or you pay him (the head of an agency) 20 times higher than the Attorney-General of the Federation. That is not right.”
“It’s about time that people support the commission to come up with reasonable living salaries for ministers, DGs, and the President,” the RMAFC boss stated on Monday.
