By Juliet Jacob Ochenje
Nigerians have condemned the attempt by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to increase the salaries of President Bola Tinubu, his vice, Sen. Kashim Shettima, National Assembly members and the judiciary by 114 percent.
The news of the planned hike broke on Wednesday, with the commission saying it was backed by the law. It added that the salaries of the president, vice and federal lawmakers had remained the same in the last 15 years.
However, the spokesman of the president, Mr Dele Alake, disclosed on Thursday that Tinubu did not approve the increment, thereby putting a halt to the plan. Nonetheless, some Nigerians have condemned RMFAC for raising such a proposal at a time that the masses are suffering under skyrocketing cost of living due to the removal of fuel subsidy and floating of the naira.
Speaking to African Health Report (AHR), Mrs Caroline, a roadside maize seller, said the mentioned government officials have more than enough already and do not need increment of their salaries.
She said: ”People are really going through a lot and increment of government officials’ wages should be the least of their problems right now because they have more than enough. Meanwhile, there are civil servants that their outstanding salaries are yet to be paid, they should try and pay them. Government should look into making the lives of its citizens better.”
Similarly, a business woman who simply identified herself as Grace, said RMFAC should be concerned about increasing the wages of every worker in the public sector and not just that of top politicians.
She added that she was not opposed to any increment of wages, but it shouldn’t be limited to top government officials alone, it should be a general thing.
Grace explained: ”Every worker deserves an increment, especially because of the amount of suffering and hardship the removal of subsidy has caused the masses, including the traders, because by increasing only the wages of the government officials, it is like enriching the rich while the poor keeps getting poorer.
”So, let the government do the needful by increasing wages of every worker rather focusing on its officials alone. With how high the cost of living is right now, from transportation to feeding and every aspect, ordinary citizens needs the increment even more than the government officials.”
Another Nigerian, Mr Emmanuel Nweke, while speaking to AHR on the issues, expressed displeasure over the thought of increasing the wages of the elected officials from the president, legislators and others.
”Looking at the take home pay of most civil servants, it is not even enough to take care of them and their families. Some of them can barely afford three square meals in their homes or even afford to build a house of their own. They are the ones that deserve such increment but the government officials would rather enrich themselves and when the poor masses try to air their opinion and pains, the government sees it as “hate speech” because to them the poor has no right to freedom of speech.
