The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) yesterday opposed an upward review of salary for political office holders and public servants.
The two unions spoke when the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) held the Northwest’s public hearing on the review of the Remuneration for Political, Public and Judicial Office holders in the Federation in Kano.
The public hearing, which took place at Africa House of the Government House in Kano, was presided over by RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Bello Shehu.
The RMAFC chairman said President Muhammadu Buhari had mandated the commission to review the remuneration package of government employees.
According to him, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) deliberated on the other remuneration packages for political office holders and directed the commission to ensure adequate review of the packages.
Shehu explained that the public hearing was held simultaneously in Kano, Jos, Bauchi, Yenagoa, Enugu and Akure.
“We are here to engage all the stakeholders from various states of the Northwest – labour leaders, judicial officers, government officials and legislators – so that they can give us their own views before the commission takes the final stand on this.
“Such a review could lead to an upward increase or decrease in the remuneration of political office holders in the country.
“The commission has already set up a Remuneration and Monetisation Committee spearheading the programme,” he said.
But the Kano State NLC Chairman Kabiru Ado Minjibi and his TUC counterpart, Mohammed Alkali, called for immediate suspension of the proposed upward salary review for political office holders and public servants.
The two labour leaders opposed the move to increase public office holders’ salary, stressing that Nigeria’s debt portfolio has hit N44.6 trillion as of 2022, quoting statistics from the Debt Management Office (DMO).
The labour leaders insisted that what should rather occupy the time and attention of the Federal Government at the moment should be how to control rising prices of goods and services and not an upward salary review for political office holders and public servants.
“According to the DMO, Nigeria’s public debt has hit N44.6 trillion in the third quarter of 2022.”
“The total debt stock comprises domestic debt of about N26.92 trillion and external debt of about N17.5 trillion.
“It was reported as of December 2020 that Nigeria had to spend over N3 trillion to service just the nation’s debts.
“Looking at these economic indicators, the TUC of Nigeria is calling for the downward review of salaries and allowances of political and public office holders.
“The time has come to make legislation a part-time venture in Nigeria.
“I plead with the chairman not to dump TUC’s position but to read it thoroughly and grasp the position of TUC,” Alkali said.
But the Secretary to Kano State Government (SSG) Usman Alhaji, who outlined the submission of the state government at the public hearing, supported the upward review of public servants salaries.
He argued that “the current take-home pay has been overtaken by the ongoing economic realities of our time”.
The SSG said the commission is mandated by law to periodically review salaries, adding that such a review was overdue.
Usman recalled that the last time the commission reviewed salaries was in 2008.
Other speakers at the public hearing, including representatives from the seven Northwest states, supported an upward review of salaries, except NLC and TUC.