That
almost all public office holders in the last 16 years have collectively
institutionalised unbearable high cost of governance in the country is
an understatement.
And it is a trend that must stop. An
appetite for greed, selfishness and corruption aided by loose financial
control has led to an impoverishment of the people.
As this
tendency for profligacy has been rising over the years, reports the
other day, that President Muhammadu Buhari, his deputy, some governors
and a few other public office holders may slash their own salaries and
allowances and cause same to be effected for all other political
appointees, is a step in the right direction, especially with the
dwindling economic fortunes of the country. The savings from this
exercise may not be much, but the symbolism is laudable.
A
Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission’s (RMAFC)
statement about the same time on its preparedness to review the
remuneration law to align with the current realities of dwindling
revenue, particularly from oil, may have also reinforced the new
administration’s resolve to chart a fresh course in public spending.
Hopefully,
wearied Nigerians would likely gain from these measures, if they are
well intentioned and coordinated. But the expected gains from the
proposed pay cuts must not end up servicing the interests of a few
persons in public office.
If anything, it should be seen as a
case of officials also making sacrifices for the nation, the people
having been tasked to their limit and cannot bear new burdens.
A
reassessment is certainly desirable. What is needed though, is a clean
break from the past where the privileged few pillaged the treasury.
Given
his antecedents, frugality, what he represents, and particularly his
resolve to breathe a fresh air into governance, President Buhari can be
taken for his words.
Indeed, he may have made a statement on his
low profile in his request to the Senate for just 15 special advisers –
down from the regime of 23 and accompanying special assistants that
obtained in the immediate past dispensation. The country will certainly
be better for it if he succeeds, but he needs to carry the people along.
He may also have to go for, among others, a cut in the bogus
provisions in the State House budget and aides’ remuneration, while
leveraging the report of the Oronsaye Presidential Committee on the
Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals,
Commissions and Agencies.
Happily, the RMAFC (it prescribes
salaries and allowances for certain categories of top public officials
in line with constitutional mandate) has said it would factor in
prevailing economic realities “and the need to reduce (the) burgeoning
cost of governance so as to free more funds for development”.
In
this effort, it said it will be guided by the Remuneration Act of 2008.
More cheering is the news that a committee has been inaugurated “to
holistically review existing Remuneration Act; identify areas of wastage
and abuse; examine the implementation of the monetisation policy by
MDAs and advise on appropriate remuneration for the work they do”.
The
RMAFC says it will be considering a more global approach to arrive at a
decision, including the rate of inflation, shortcomings of the
Remuneration Act 2008, etc. Essentially, the committee will rightly look
at the justification of pay in relation to inputs at work.
The
commission promised: “When we conclude, whatever we decide for the
legislators is final…but the executive’s will go through the legislative
process.”
However, it will be interesting if the RMAFC will
have the guts to publish the total pay, including allowances and sundry
allocations of legislators. They are known to be running humongous bills
in multiples of millions monthly and the highest in the world on the
state, and they have defied all pressures on fairness, equity, openness
and accountability. The 8th National Assembly must come to equity on
this issue, with clean hands.
The country is in dire financial
straits at present, a fact that supports the argument for a downward
review in political office holders’ pay structure.
Reason should
prevail, therefore, in an economy that cannot support N18,000 minimum
wage structure for public workers but can conveniently pay millions of
naira monthly to a supposedly part-time lawmaker.
The reality on
ground demands a savings culture while plugging wastages. Cost-saving
devices must be officially institutionalised henceforth, just as
accountability is made a priority.
Again, government must tear
down the infrastructure of corruption, that is, those easy means of
enrichment that individuals exploit for their selfish ends. Corruption
has become a monster and a way of life across board in the country
because the civil service has been affected and destroyed.
This
country must do without a system that encourages stupendous severance
allowances and or pension to every man who happened to occupy the office
of a state governor or other political offices for that matter.
The
world has learnt a lot from the Singaporean experience that has
established a connection between the economy and official earnings.
Nigeria must also learn from the globally acclaimed model.
To
give vent to that for example, would demand that the RMAFC publishes the
salaries and allowances of all categories of public officials, most
especially the politicians, on a regular basis. Accountability and
responsibility begin with openness.
Credit: Nigerian Guardian
No comments:
Post a Comment