Opposition condemns NASS salary reduction announcement

Posted by admin Headlines, House, Legislature, Senate Thursday, July 21st, 2011

Politicians in the opposition parties on Wednesday in Lagos criticised the salary reduction announced by the National Assembly, describing it as deceitful.

The politicians, who spoke in separate interviews, said the salary reduction by the legislators had not met the public outcry of their jumbo pay.

Last week, the House of Representatives reduced the allowances of its 360 members by 63 per cent and the Senate by 40 per cent, in response to public outcry.

NAN reports that while the lawmakers’ allowances were reduced, their salaries have yet to be touched.

Sen. Suleiman Salawu, National Chairman of the Action Alliance (AA), said what the public wanted was the abolition of all allowances paid to the legislators.

“What the masses want is the abolition of constituency project and office maintenance allowances of the law makers.

“Their salary is enough to take care of their needs. They are deceiving the public in what they claim to have reduced,’’ he said.

Alhaji Musa Umar, Deputy National Chairman, Alliance for Democracy (AD), also faulted the reduction in the members’ salary.

He said that the public would not see anything good in what the legislators had done, as no one knew the total allowances they were receiving.

“Unless we know exactly how much they are earning as salary and how much allowances they have reduced it from, except we know the total amount they are receiving as packages, public outcry will not stop.

“This is the type of information we want the media to make public. It is for this reason the Freedom of Information Bill was passed,” he said.

Umar said the percentage the members claimed to have reduced from their allowances exposed the fact that they were earning more money than they needed.

Chief Adeniji Oloye, Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of the National Action Council (NAC), advised the law makers to be patriotic rather than exploit the masses.

“The members are exploiting the people. They offered themselves for service, so whatever the people suggest is what they should make do with.

“They should bring their salaries reasonably closer to that of the common man. The members do not need to go home with any allowances as their salaries alone can take care of their needs.

“What allowances do they need again? They are given houses, cars, and also have opportunity to buy more. They should remove all the allowances and live on their personal emoluments,’’ Oloye said. (NAN)

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