Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has commented on the House of Representatives’ decision to reduce their salaries by 50%, characterizing it as “a drop in the ocean”.
While acknowledging the lawmakers’ willingness to make sacrifices, Atiku emphasized that the actual issue lies in their allowances, which, he said, are excessive.
He also questioned the implementation of the Oronsaye Report, which was aimed at reforming the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), but which appears to have been disregarded amidst the recent expansion of these bodies.
Atiku responded after the House of Representatives announced their commitment to donating 50% of their salaries for six months to address the widespread hunger in the country.
The Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas; and Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, disclosed the lawmakers’ decision during Thursday’s plenary season
It was learnt that the Deputy Speaker Kalu amended the motion, urging his colleagues to sacrifice 50% of their salaries.
“This government is doing its best, but one year is not enough to address the challenges of this country.
“I want to plead with our colleagues to sacrifice 50 per cent for a period of six months,” the lawmaker had said.
But reacting in a statement shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account, the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 elections said, “The sacrifice of members of the House of Representatives is commendable. But it is a drop in the ocean.
“The demons are in the allowances and not the salaries of lawmakers and government officials in general.
“Whatever happened to the much-trumpeted implementation of the Oronsaye Report?
“Recently, the ballooning of MDAs with the attendant cost implications has been observed.
“There’s too much wastage and prioritisation of non-essential expenditures. What is desirable is an across the board cut in expenses.
“We can no longer afford to borrow money to fund continued irresponsibility in government.”
