The Initiator and Chairman, Movement for Nigeria’s Total Transformation, Chief Areoye Oyebola, has decried the non-responsiveness of Nigerian federal lawmakers to the widespread call for the downward review of their “monumental salaries and allowances.”

According to Oyebola, the recent criticism of the federal legislators by the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), was just one of many criticisms that had trailed the lawmakers over the years but to which they had turned deaf ears.

He recalled that he had raised the same issue in a publication, tagged, “Grave Issues Nigeria Must Tackle,” which was publicly presented at a gathering that had in attendance eminent Nigerians such as a former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola(SAN); human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN); and Prof. Pat Utomi.

Oyebola had, in the presentation, decried what he described as the insensitivity of the lawmakers, who he said, were living large in the midst of widespread poverty in the country.

He noted then that the earnings of the United States of America’s President were far lower than what a Nigerian lawmaker took home.

He had said, “It is also strange, unthinkable and very disheartening that a senator, not minding the grinding poverty of Nigerians, earns $1.7m a year, which is far higher than the $400,000 yearly income of the United States’ President, whose stupendous country is the richest in the world. Even a member of the House of Representatives also earns more than the American President. What a tragic and pathetic situation!

“Worse still, each of our National Assembly members earns more than the British Prime Minister, while the pay of a member of Ghana’s unicameral legislature is a very small fraction of our House of Representatives’ member jumbo pay of more than N10m in a month, let alone the monumental quarterly allowances that have led to serious public outcry.

“The multi-million naira earned by the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives even worse, more outrageous and mind-boggling.”

Oyebola noted that despite their modest pay, compared to the Nigerian federal lawmakers, the legislators in Ghana worked harder and “have minimal absenteeism,” while they had also done much to sustain their country’s democracy, “which is a model for many African countries.”

He said the Ghanaian lawmakers were also more sensitive to the realities in their country, recalling that an attempt by them to have a raise in earnings in 2009 was immediately jettisoned following a public outcry.

Oyebola called for a 90 per cent cut in the earnings of Nigerian elected public officials, saying with that they would still be richer than their counterparts in the US and the UK.

He said, “As suggested below, for the National Assembly, the President, ministers, state governors, state legislators, chairmen of local governments and councillors should have their pay and allowances reduced to 10 per cent of their present earnings. If effected, each senator’s present earnings of N15m a month will be reduced to N1.5m or N18m a year. A similar 90 per cent reduction should be effected from the pay of members of the House of Representatives.”

According to him, this is the only way to ensure that politics would no longer be a matter of do-or-die.

http://ijebuloaded.com/news-nigerian-senators-earn-trump-uk-pm-oyebola/

Nigerians should unite in calling the Senate to review the salary of its members downward.

Let them hear this they might ask for your head or they call you enemy.

So true.... I don't know why the law allows such a huge amount for just one person... While about 80% of Nigerians are in abject poverty

We were promised a drastic reduction in cost of governance......

Lolz...maybe..but how many of them is as rich as he is..

what is the significance of NAN to our economy

Na today?
That why the Almighty Ben Bruce couldn't talk well on the floor of the Senate because he is scared that the weekly payments will stop coming in. All of them are all the same.

Thats why i laugh when nigerians think these senators will vote for nigeria to be restructured or divided. Nigeria suits them the way it is. Until we stand up and demand from these people, nothing will change. They've curtailed kanu, now they can continue with their lootings in peace.

Yes we have heard the earning of our senators but how much is the earning of our president compared to of Trump.

Wow...but nigerians deserve it though.

which means mohammadu buhari the terrorist collect more that USA and UK yearly budget in a month.

Nigeria is a glorified zoo
Where the higher animals are in unison looting the treasury......
While lower hungry animals who are supposed to kick against them for some reason unknown to mankind supports those thieves who put them in bondage

Some say it's because of religious sentiments... Since its the Fulani caliphate that tells them when the moon is out
Others say it's a modern enslavement

What ever it is
It's only in a zoo called Nigeria

Y is it dat everyday we hear how our legislators r d highest paid in d world?
Its not dat I like d way tins r but let's ask ourselves, if legislators earn this much, wat does d executives earn?
Wat does d President earn? Cos surely they can't earn more than d president.
So let who-soever is giving us dis shit on legislators do same for d executive n judiciary so we can do a balanced comparison b4 complaining.
Cos in d end d biggest thief might even b d one orchestrating dis whole tin.

nobody is going to touch their salaries be realistic. No political will to do that, no even enough pressure from the citizens. Having said that, Buhari has not delivered his election promises and therefore must lose the 2019 elections. So that Nigeria's politicians become fully aware who the power belongs to.

We already know that. Meanwhile Ben Bruce's tweet in 2015 vs his tweet now shows dat his salary has removed his common sense

Everyone knows.... This is a fvcked system

It's not news and no one will challenge them... Nigeria be like their shop.

Them dey shout 2019 is coming as if anything good go come out.... Nigerians get sense? Everything is based on sentiments and tribalism... Here even the masses wey dey cry for development no ready to fight for the development.

The youth here are only good at complaining or looking for paid protests... Make them collect 1500. e don do them

Are we saying there is nothing the country can do about it? They earn more than everyone but do nothing

Na today!?

.

nd boys dey here dey hungry,Nigeria whic way abeg. honestly shitty things like this makes one wanna regret coming to this world a Nigerian..same old story since inception buh our people get hope say e go better,how e wan take better? angels go come down come mke am better?, self centered individuals occupying the top post doing nothing that is of benefit to the masses but getting their salaries and allowances steadily steadily,.. I weep for my country. HAPPY NEW WEEK TO Y'ALL BTW,Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD ONE..

only revolution can save nigeria. but who wan die

.

That's why they see themselves as gods cause they've successfully amassed power from their ill gotten wealth. They will be flaunting fleets of their classic cars in their garage for the us to see and gnash our teeth, when in real sense, that's not what representing people is all about.

I support the cut of their salaries, it will in turn make politics unattractive, and will further make them work hard, and not smart.

E

They earn more than Trump.....but Trump do better than them

Abeg make den bring new format,this one don stale

The cost of running Nigerian government is too expensive. Sadly, nothing can be done to reduce it.

Only REVOLUTION can!

Hmm! So a Nigerian Senator earns four times what Trump earns. Interesting.

I don't want to imagine what Buhari from Sudan wil be taking home as salary. May Ghanaians budget.

Any we all wonder why they trade blows and jump gates and throw chairs?