Economy
RESOURCE Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) an NGO, has called on the Federal Government to address the wage disparity between political office holders and civil servants in 2025.
The Executive Director of CHRICED, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, made the call at the end-of-the-year news conference on the State of the Nation, on Tuesday in Abuja.
Zikirullahi said that the conference was aimed at providing feedback on critical issues facing Nigeria and Nigerians.
According to him, it is also to galvanise action among government appointees, citizen networks, and donor partners, locally and internationally.
“It is crucial that the government addresses the glaring wage disparity between political officeholders and civil servants.
“The current situation, where a Nigerian senator receives a staggering N31 million naira monthly while a civil servant struggles to make ends meet with a mere N70,000 is not only inequitable but also unacceptable.
“It is grossly unjust when those who work for 365 days cannot make ends meet while politicians who barely work for half the year continue to fatten on public resources,” he said.
Zikirullahi said that there was also a need for the government to prioritise justice as one of the cardinal values.
This, he said, was because justice brings joy to a nation and is a key ingredient for accomplishing Nigeria’s broad aspirations of “Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress”.
He called on the government to implement substantial judicial and police reforms to root out corrupt individuals undermining there integrity.
He said that justice played a crucial role in achieving a thriving democracy, adding that the linkages between justice and a functional, independent, and trusted judicial system could not be overemphasised.
Zikirullahi also said that one of the biggest issues confronting majority of Nigerians was the cost of living due to subsidy removal and other policies.
He called for the need to prioritise the well-being of poor, vulnerable Nigerians in the coming year.
He said that to effectively tackle the nation’s economic challenges, the government should empower the 774 local government areas as a foundational platform for economic recovery and industrial development.
“We advise that the administration prioritises clear structures and programmes for social protection in Nigeria.
“It should shift from the knee-jerk, uncoordinated, politically-motivated handouts to political friends in the name of poverty alleviation programmea,” he added.
Zikirullahi said that safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic framework required a commitment to political diversity, robust opposition, and the protection of citizens’ rights to participate in the political process.
He said that failure to do so could jeopardise the very foundations of democracy in the country and could lead to a future where political power is concentrated in the hands of a few.
He said that a comprehensive overhaul of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was essential to safeguarding the fledgling democracy and the nation from the threat of violent conflict.
Zikirullahi added that the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral processes should be fortified to ensure that the people’s will is respected and upheld.
“In addition, we urge the government to protect and promote the rights to freedom of assembly and expression, as these are fundamental to a thriving democracy.
“Moreover, we call on civil society organisations to unite in solidarity to confront the misconduct and excesses of political office holders,” he said. (NAN)
Photo Caption: The Executive Director of CHRICED, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, in white at the end-of-the-year news conference on the State of the Nation, on Tuesday in Abuja
31st December, 2024.
C.E.
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