Between Remunerating Political & Judicial Office Holders And Removal Of Incentives

TEMITOPE AJAYI 

We always love to deceive ourselves when we talk about timing and optics even when the system is raped daily.

Which is better between remunerating political office holders and judicial officers well and removing incentives that allow them to game the system to their personal advantage?

RMAFC is proposing 114% increase in basic salary of political office holders. Only basic salary. The monthly take home of the President, inclusive of all allowances is about N2million. That of a Minister which include salary for a driver, gardener, a cook is about N850,000 per month.

According to RMAFC, the new increase being proposed will make monthly take home of a Minister N1.1million and that of the President in the region of N2.3million.

There had not been upward review of the pay of these people since 2008. That is clear 15 years. Within same period, there had been minimum wage increase of N18,000 and N30,000 and consequential adjustments for public sector workers on different salary grade levels.

In the same vein, different categories of workers from health workers, to academic and non academic staff of higher institutions have negotiated and got increase in salaries and allowances.

I know our politicians may not have acquitted themselves well with the Nigerian public but I don’t agree with the view that their basic salary should not be reviewed.

The deliberate misinformation on TV and radio shows about this issue is totally unfair.