Olayiwola Matthew
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to halt its plan to increase the salaries of political office holders.
RMAFC chairman Mohammed Shehu recently revealed that President Bola Tinubu currently earns ₦1.5 million monthly, while ministers receive less than ₦1 million. He argued that these figures, unchanged since 2008, are outdated.
However, NLC President Joe Ajaero condemned the proposal as “insensitive, unjust, and inequitable,” warning that it would widen the gap between civil servants and politicians. He insisted that the current earnings of political leaders and the basis for the proposed review must be made public.
“RMAFC must suspend this exercise before it sparks a tsunami,” Ajaero declared in a statement on Sunday.
He argued that the plan would worsen poverty among Nigerians, most of whom already live in multidimensional deprivation. Ajaero criticised the justification offered by Shehu, describing it as an insult to citizens’ intelligence.
The NLC further recalled that the last wage review for civil servants amounted to less than 50 percent, while political office holders later received an increase exceeding 800 percent. It noted the disparity in salary reviews, as civil servants face freezes and resource-based limits, whereas politicians benefit from uniform pay nationwide.
The union stressed that while fair remuneration is necessary, it must apply across the board to prevent discrimination and rising inequality.
The NLC demanded full disclosure of current political salaries, transparency on the benchmark for review, and an immediate suspension of the exercise.