Abuja, Nigeria – Di Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) don open di floor for one serious matter wey dey hot for Naija. Dem don put ogbonge issue for ground to review di salaries of political office holders – you sabi, those wey dey wear big agbada and dey chop chop for di federal, state, and local governments. Dis na after Oga Mohammed Shehu, di RMAFC Chairman, ginger us with news for im recent press briefing.
Shehu don talk say di current salaries wey dem dey pay dem politicians na total wahala! E go like dem to increase am to match di rising responsibilities wey dem face. According to am, di monthly salary of President Bola Tinubu na ₦1.5 million ($977), while ministers dey carry less than ₦1 million like say dem na small pikin wey just dey start dia life. How dem expect say dem go perform well like dis?
Oga Shehu no carry last for di matter o! E shout say e no make sense say di Central Bank Governor dey collect almost ten times di salary of di President. Like seriously? E no dey right for mind of man! E even talk say some agency heads dey collect salary wey fit make Attorney-General wan cry, yet dem dey expect di ministers to no chop side hustle.
Di last time dem review dis salary matter na when dem still dey wear big bell bottoms for 1992. Since den, na just small adjustments dem dey make – whether by executive order or dem fit call am wahala dey for ground. Shehu don talk say dis review dey important like bread and butter because di socio-economic situation for Naija dey change fast fast.
E still get as e be: di current revenue allocation formula dey share di federal govment 52.6%, di state dey collect 26.7%, while di local go dey manage with 20.6%. Dem still give 1% each for Federal Capital Territory, ecological fund, natural resources, and di stabilisation fund. But wetin be di use of all dis numbers if di people wey dey run di show no fit live well?
As di gists don dey spread comot, pipo dey react like say dem dey watch film for cinema. Some dey wonder why dem go dey increase salaries for politicians wey dey already live life like kings while ordinary Nigerians dey manage to survive. Some even shout say dem find am too sensitive to talk about salary increment when dem dey struggle to pay civil servants N70,000 minimum wage! Abeg, wetin happen to di balance?
Odas dey hail di initiative like say na World Cup dem win, saying dis one fit bring accountability and better performance from di politicians. Na true talk! Di whole matter dey very conji for public eye, and everybody dey wait to see wetin go happen next.
In conclusion, as RMAFC dey try to clean di mess wey don dey happen since 1992, e go make sense if dem fit put life for di same salary matter wey go take care of both di politicians and di citizens. Time no dey wait for anybody, and dem no go fit dey chop belleful while di streets dey vex with empty stomach!
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