ABUJA — Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has condemned the proposed review of salaries for political office holders, describing the move as grossly insensitive given Nigeria’s dire economic realities.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Falana faulted the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) for suggesting an upward review of politicians’ pay, insisting the commission had failed to consider the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.
“I want to believe that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission has not taken cognisance of the living standards in the country, particularly the harrowing experience of ordinary people,” Falana said.
Citing recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the senior lawyer lamented that over 133 million Nigerians are living in multidimensional poverty, making any talk of salary increases for political office holders unjustifiable.
“It is insensitive for any agency of government, particularly RMAFC, to suggest an upward review of the emoluments of public officers,” he added.
The proposal by RMAFC has already sparked outrage among citizens, who argue that politicians should focus on alleviating poverty and reducing the cost of governance rather than enriching themselves further.
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