ISSUES IN PAY RAISE FOR PUBLIC OFFICERS
The authorities should prioritise the welfare of the ordinary people
In line with its constitutional responsibility, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has commenced the review of salaries of political office holders, describing current earnings as inadequate and unrealistic. But in a sharp opposition across labour, civic groups and opposition political parties, the move has been described as insensitive and provocative. Most stakeholders argue that the proposal reeked of greed and tone-deafness, noting that political officeholders are the least deserving of any upward review of emoluments. They, instead, rooted for public workers who have been struggling for a living wage without appropriate response from government.
The RMAFC Chairman, Mohammed Shehu, had earlier disclosed that President Bola Tinubu currently earns N1.5m monthly, while ministers receive less than N1m — figures that have remained unchanged since 2008. However, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in pushing back, insists that the real problem is not the official salary figures but the allowances and perks of office that remain hidden from public view. The union accused political leaders of living in luxury while millions of citizens are sinking deeper into poverty, unable to afford one good meal a day. The immediate past President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dele Oye noted that the timing for the review is wrong, and “bound to send the wrong message to the larger economy.”
We share most of these sentiments. At a time most Nigerians are being called upon to tighten their belts and are paying more for their petrol (with subsidy removal), higher electricity tariff, etc., it is clearly unacceptable that increasing the remunerations of political office holders would be a priority for this government. Unfortunately, despite the public outrage on the issue, Shehu has maintained that it is important to award reasonable remuneration that reflects public officers’ responsibilities. He stated that the RMAFC considered a wide range of perspectives, including memoranda from stakeholders, public hearings, and ministerial submissions, while also drawing from economic indicators and remuneration practices in other countries.
There is no doubt that the salaries of political office holders have been frozen for a while. The review of salary structures for political and public office holders had been attempted several times since the 2008 Amendment Act, which still serves as the legal framework governing official salaries. In June 2023, RMAFC proposed a 114 per cent salary increase for the president, vice president, governors, lawmakers, and judicial officers, but it was not endorsed by the National Assembly. Thus, the current outrage is not merely whether the pay raise is necessary for politicians, but more about the timing. With high inflation, due largely to a devalued naira, and the high cost of petrol, life is hard for the ordinary Nigerians.
Inflation has also eroded the purchasing power of even the recent N70,000 minimum wage, as many workers are increasingly finding it difficult to meet their needs. The minimum wage has thus failed to provide a living wage. What is even worse is that many of the states, despite fat allocations from Abuja, are not paying the so-called salaries on a regular basis. Besides, many Nigerians are just scraping by, including retirees who served the country to their bones. But in stark contrast, political officeholders, despite their “poor” salary, live in luxury, and flaunt their wealth in utter disregard for the struggles of ordinary people. Political office holders enjoy huge allowances, perks, and other discretionary funds. So, increasing their official pay should not be a priority at this period. It is more in the national interest to prioritise the welfare of vulnerable Nigerians.
We hope that commonsense will ultimately prevail on this issue.
