- By Halimah Olamide
Hours after the House of Representatives announced the decision to cut members salaries by 50% on Thursday, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said the real jumbo pay is in their allowances and not salaries.
Atiku said though the move by the lawmakers is commendable, he noted that salaries are a mere “drop in the ocean.” When compared with what each member takes home at the end of every month.
NPO Reports that the House had on Thursday announced that to identify with the situation in the country, members would sacrifice 50% of their pay for the next 6 months.
Atiku wrote. “The sacrifice of members of the House of Representatives is commendable.
“But it is a drop in the ocean. The demons are in the allowances and not the salaries of lawmakers and government officials in general.” The opposition leader demanded Whatever happened to the much-trumpeted implementation of the Oronsaye Report saying the ballooning of MDAs with the attendant cost implications has been observed.
“There’s too much wastage and prioritisation of non-essential expenditures. What is desirable is an across the board cut in expenses. We can no longer afford to borrow money to fund continued irresponsibility in government.”