Senators earn N30m per month, including allowances for clothes, hardship, etc
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Labour has suspended its strike for one week to continue negotiation with the government on the demand for a minimum wage that can put food on the table of an average family, but Nigerians are already sharing their views on the newly leaked nearly N30 million salary and allowances of Senators who, by law, may not work more than 180 days (six months) a year.
Both the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have demanded N494,000 as minimum wage but the administration of Bola Tinubu raised it from N30,000 to a mere N60,000 that led to the strike, after government negotiators promised to increase it further but without disclosing an actual figure.
Tinubu has said the government cannot afford to pay N494,000 as minimum wage because the treasury cannot afford it.
Labour countered there will be funds to pay at least a “living wage” in a hyper-inflation economy if Tinubu reduces the cost of governance, cuts out wastages, leakages, and theft, as well as slash the incredible salaries and allowances of other public officials, including Senators.
To sway public opinion, the NLC posted on X (Twitter) the salaries and allowances of Senators – titled, “Can They deny this???? Nigeria Workers deserve Better, A living Wage is Possible” – as follows:
@RealQueenBee
“THIS IS PURE WICKEDNESS
How can anyone justify
1. A Furniture allowance N7.45m
2. Accommodation allowance N5m
3. Vehicle allowance N10m
4. Vehicle maintenance N1.8m
4. Hardship allowance N1.2m
“All of these are monthly, in a country that is the poverty capital of the world
“Labour must insist and never be cowed or go below N200k minimum.”
@AgboObinnaya
“They even receive “Hardship Allowance”. How Can people who do not know any hardship, by virtue of their office, be receiving “Hardship Allowance”?”
@Nwafresh
“If they can’t give you people what you want, let the Senators start collecting minimum wage as salaries. A Director in federal service is collecting at most 400k. Our Lawmakers should be collecting 450k monthly.”
@MFaarees
“As far as I’m concerned the whole Senate needs to be scrapped, they’re not doing anything for the benefit of Nigerians, it’s just them and family and friends.”
@ayampeky
“Just don’t back down. Prove Nigerians wrong by being steadfast this time around let’s get it right once and for all.”
@ChukwuyemEledan
“Senator dey collect Hardship allowance but some of una dey defend politicians for FREE”
@OkoliStephenIz3
“You see why I said that NLC should sustain the strike for 600yrs if FG doesn’t agree with the over 400k minimum wage.”
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Tinubu blames opposition parties for citizens’ hunger protests
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