BREAKING NEWS, Politics
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There are indications that some senators have resolved to fight against the recommendation of the ad-hoc committee to cut their salaries and allowances
THE Senate does not want a pay cut as suggested by Bukola Saraki, Senate president. That was the body language of the senators as they opted not to debate the recommendation of the ad-hoc committee on review of the finances openly on Wednesday, August 12. It was learnt that some of those opposed to the pay cut resisted the open debate on the recommendation.
The committee in its report had recommended 10 percent cut in salaries and allowances of the legislators, which did not go down well some of them.
The report of the committee was listed in Thursday’s order paper but was later dropped for closed-door meeting. This prompted watchers of the upper chamber to be suspicious that the senators were opposed to the downward review of their pay and allowances.
It was later learnt that the lawmakers eventually debated the issue of budget review behind closed doors, whereby senators were able to air their displeasure.
After the closed-door session, Saraki announced a suspension of the report of the committee for further legislative input. He did not further details. But some of the senators were said to have argued against the pay cut, saying they increasing obligations to their constituencies.
Some of them also contended that there was no need for any review because the National Assembly budget for 2015 had already been cut from N150 billion to N120 billion.
Saraki had set up the committee on June 25, to review the finances of the Senate, following public outcry over the alleged huge wardrobe allowances given to lawmakers.
However, Dino Melaye, chairman ad-hoc committee on media, assured that the lawmakers were committed to cutting their pays. “The Senate is ready to make sacrifices for the purpose of developmental purposes and that has already been indicated even in the Appropriation Act 2015,” Melaye said.
He, however, argued that the responsibility of how much to pay the legislators rest squarely on the shoulder of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission. “But you can be sacrificial as a public officer to say: I am taking half of my salary and then taking half back to the treasury,” he said.
— Aug 13, 2015 @ 12:45 GMT
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