Re: A needless and costly crisis

Mr Wakaman, our labour leaders should also show some flexibility in these delicate negotiations. Rigid insistence on N65 or nothing is deleterious and unhelpful to the interest of millions of Nigerians now bearing the brunt of the 5-day-long general strike. Ironically, members of the National Assembly who are now posing as defenders of the masses […]

Mr Wakaman, our labour leaders should also show some flexibility in these delicate negotiations. Rigid insistence on N65 or nothing is deleterious and unhelpful to the interest of millions of Nigerians now bearing the brunt of the 5-day-long general strike. Ironically, members of the National Assembly who are now posing as defenders of the masses in this crisis are themselves a major albatross on the neck of this so-called democracy. They are part of the crushing burden on the economy. With 109 Senators, each collecting(not earning) N45 million quarterly as salaries and allowances, two times higher than a U.S. President’s earnings, where the GDP is higher, it is obvious that subsidy is not the only burden on the economy. If subsidy is unsustainable, the colossal costs of maintaining political offices holders both in the executive branch and the legislature are not acceptable either. Would President Jonathan have the spunk to stop these fabulous and egregiously selfish and illegal salaries and allowances, which the lawmakers are paying themselves?

The former chairman of the revenue mobilization and allocation commission, Engr Hamman Tukur, publicly declared that the current salaries and allowances of the lawmakers are illegal because they are outside the payments recommended for them by the commission. By using their powers as lawmakers to fix their own salaries and allowances, our Senators and Reps have abused public trust.

With about 80 million Nigerians going to bed hungry and 10 million children out of school, the fat paychecks of political office holders are indefensible and immoral, especially in a developing country like Nigeria. It is unjust to demand more sacrifices from ordinary Nigerians beyond what blood and flesh could bear at a time our so-called leaders are milking the country dry. The main attraction to politics in a democracy should be honest and selfless service to the people.

The reality, however, is that in this clime, the main attraction to politics is the rapacious ambition to acquire overnight prosperity at the expense of the voters. Little wonder our politicians can plot the assassinations of their opponents to capture and retain power at all cost because of the easy access to money, which such offices guarantee them. There is no way we can save our economy without courageously confronting the outrageous greed of our federal lawmakers.

These lawmakers are holding the executive branch by the balls because of their enormous but obviously abused powers to make or mar the President’s programmes that need their budgetary approvals. But the President will have Nigerians on his side the day he decides he will not pay these indefensible salaries and allowances, which our lawmakers are illegally paying themselves. Do our leaders have any conscience or the fear of god at all?

From Na-Allah Mohammed Zagga, a journalist based in Abuja. Have a nice day sir!

Different strokes for different folks. Some accused Labour of sending Nigeria into a needless crisis, others accused it of selling out. One thing appears true in any public demonstration against bad policy – true power belongs to the people. Your other observations are spot on. Thanks.

The people in Jonathan’s cabinet including him are either telling themselves lies or they are totally disconnected with the Nigerian situation.

Transport fares. 90% of our intra state and interstate vehicles (buses, cars and motorcycles) are run on PMS. How then can Jonathan and Okonjo-Iweala have said removal of subsidy would not affect transport fares? Na wah o. Yet they expect people to just accept their arguments hook line and sinker.

Sent by [email protected]

Truth is that it does not affect their own mode of transport – they never queue at the pumps!

Dont mind Iweala oh. By this recent development she has been demystified. She is said to even be a trained demographer and not an Economist as people believed she is. Her case reminded me of one demographer like that who was employed to be teaching Business Statistics in the Department of Business Education in one of Nigerian’s colleges of education in the mid to late 1990s. When he was discovered he was moved to the Registry Department. It was then that his students started opening up on his deficiencies in delivery as a Lecturer. Imagine the damage the said Lecturer had caused the educational lives of the students that passed through him like Okonjo did and is doing to our finance and economy. It seems the currency figures in article ought to be in naira signs but printed in dollar signs.

Bello Kamal

You are very correct on the figures. I have since learnt that most of the figures quoted either fall below the mark or were over. Errors regretted.

 

Re-Madmen in need of specialists

Hi! Beautiful piece – as usual. Although it was too ‘serious’. Would’ve preferred your usual humour. But then again, even you do have some serious moments abi?

But methinks Naija has more than a fair share of the world’s madmen.

Looking forward to next week.

Rahmatu Mustapha

Thanks, Rahmatu, even quack specialists need their five minutes moment of soberness.