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Nigerian Politicians Must Sacrifices Salaries For Masses — TUC
Following the subsidy removal, the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo Nigerian politicians must sacrifice their salaries for the masses to help cost reduction as they still go about with “endless convoys” despite the effects of fuel subsidy removal on the masses.
He lamented that Nigerian politicians are “living large” while the masses are suffering. The TUC said that the salaries of Nigerian politicians are “unjustifiable” and should be reduced.
“For example, the convoys. You see governors, they are still going about, business as usual. You see the new legislatures, you see their convoys, it’s endless,” Osifo said on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
“The salaries of Nigerian politicians are a national embarrassment,” he added. “They are living large while the masses are suffering. This is not right.”
The TUC said that the salaries of Nigerian politicians should be reduced to “a level that is sustainable and that will not put a strain on the public purse.” He also said that the salaries of Nigerian politicians should be tied to the economy’s performance.
“The salaries of Nigerian politicians should be tied to the economy’s performance,” the statement said. “If the economy is doing well, then the salaries of politicians should increase. But if the economy is doing poorly, then the salaries of politicians should decrease.”
“Today, we still import all manner of cars from different parts of the world but you have some cars that are being manufactured in Nigeria. Why can’t you create policies that would encourage the manufacturing sector and also reduce the cost of governance?” he queried.
Osifo said Labour proposed N200,000 as the new minimum wage from N30,000 because it anticipated that the government would float the naira and allow market forces to determine the exchange rate of the national currency.
The TUC’s call for Nigerian politicians to sacrifice their salaries comes at a time when the country is facing a number of economic challenges. The government is currently in the midst of a recession, and inflation is at a high level.
The TUC’s call has been met with mixed reactions. Some people have supported the call, while others have said that it is unrealistic. It is unclear whether Nigerian politicians will heed the TUC’s call.