Reviewing Downwards Political Office-holders’ Emoluments

Five months after President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s request, the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission last Thursday, in Abuja, announced the slicing of emoluments of key political office-holders across the country.

Although the downward review did not affect basic salaries of the affected Nigerians, it did touch some benefits which many citizens had considered very unrealistic in view of the level of poverty that permeate the clime and indeed the biting global economic meltdown.

Of specific need for mention is the scraping of the original approved severance package of 300 per cent, for the President, which the fiscal commission argued, should be forfeited since the chief executive and his vice are entitled to pension for life.

Another, is the trimming of the 200 per cent constituency vote for National Assembly members to 150 per cent of their annual pay; the reduction of the official car fleet of the Senate President from eight to six and that of the Speaker, Federal House of Representatives from seven to also six.

Intrinsically, the wage bill of political office-holders alone annually account for a whopping N1.3 trillion, which the country spends not to mention the innumerable goodwill and awesome power their high offices regularly earn them. In fact, salaries of political office-holders were structured in such a way that a ward councillor earns much more than a University Professor, and that debatably explains the ‘do-or’die’ approach by politicians towards partisan politics.

This is why President Yar’Adua’s bold attempt should be seen as most exemplary, not so much for the ‘sacrifices’ the office-holders and himself are expected to make, but mainly for the President’s discretion.

We say so, because subjugation of national interest in preference for selfs’ have for years, remained the bane of successive leaders who, unwilling to make the right strong, repeatedly allowed the strong to remain right.

Strangely, however, Yar’Adua has proved, as the sages often insist, that “power is not a ‘good’ unless he be good that has it”. By allowing his jumbo severance package of 300 percent to be scrapped instead of the familiar practices of approving same for a later date, preferably after his Presidency, as several before him would, Yar’Adua has by this singular act rekindled the hopes of many Nigerians that many other wrongs may be righted.

Without doubt, the downward review of allowances of men in power would not have been possible, had Mr President not shown good example, sincere leadership, persuasion and drive, neither would it have been easy had members of the National Assembly and indeed the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership failed to show the necessary understanding.

The Tide commends President Yar’Adua, the National Assembly, state governors and all other political office-holders for their high level of understanding and patriotism which resulted in the saving for Nigeria, of a part of the N1.3 trillion that went to them and their families annually.

However, appreciating the huge gulf between salaries and allowances of political office-holders and others, especially civil servants, mass media practitioners, university lecturers and medical personnel in pubic practice, among many others, the next noble step should be to use part of the funds so recovered, to review upwards, the emoluments of those other classes of Nigerians.

Happily, while addressing the National Assembly on the wage reviews, President Yar’Adua alluded to the fact that the measure would not be limited to the public sector but also the corporate citizens who, so wealthy some private chief executives acquire private jets at the risk of the paltry wages their employees get.

Without doubt, bridging the yawning gap between the rich few and many poor will help rebuild a vibrant middle class which is a key driving force for a bright return for any developing country like ours.