No More Jumbo Salary for Political Office Holders - Governors Agree on Pay Slash

Posted by Thandiubani on Thu 19th Nov, 2015 - tori.ng

Coming out of a joint meeting, Nigerian governors have agreed to slash the salaries of all political office holders in Nigeria.

Governor Abdul'aziz Yari

In a bid to salvage the economy and manage the dwindling economic fortune of Nigeria, Nigerian governors have agreed that the salaries of political office holders be slashed.

This latest development was announced after a meeting by all the state governors on a way to move Nigeria forward in the face of global recession. The need came as some of the governors were worried that more states may not be able to pay workers’ salaries if the revenue of the country continues to be on the decline.

Announcement of the agreement to slash salaries of political office holders was disclosed by the Chairman of the forum, Governor Abdul’aziz Yari of Zamfara, who made the statement while briefing newsmen on the resolutions of the forum at its meeting in Abuja late on Wednesday.

He said that the forum discussed the economy and resolved to look for means to enhance states internally generated revenues as well as to cut overhead cost, especially the salaries of political office holders. The governor said the forum also resolved to diversify the country’s economy from petroleum to agriculture and mining.

“The situation is no longer the same when we are used to pay N18, 000 minimum wage when oil was 126 dollars; now oil price is 41 dollars.

“We are coming together in a roundtable with President Buhammadu Buhari and his team of ministers, technocrats, economic experts to see how we can tackle our situation,” he said

Also speaking In an interview with newsmen, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state said the economic situation was worrisome as more states would reach a stage where they would not be able to pay salaries.

“I believe that is the same situation with the Federal Government. It is not a situation of being able to run government now. Most states are not able to pay salaries not to talk of capital projects. If we cannot fund capital development, then the rest of Nigerians are just shut out of government.

“Those of us in government, both politicians and civil servants are possibly not more than five per cent of the entire population of Nigerian. What will happen to the other 95 per cent? What happens to infrastructure? Can we talk about industry without infrastructure?” Okowa asked.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State said there was no way the country could continue with a situation where expenditure was more than income.

“We are faced with a situation where we either have to reduce cost through salary reduction or downsize.

“All these we don’t want to do but prefer to have a roundtable with the president, ministers, economists to look for means of getting out of this problem,” Ajimobi said.