The Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, on Wednesday, advocated for governors and other elected officials to earn minimum wage. He said this to emphasize the need for a lifestyle that reflects Nigeria’s financial challenges.
Speaking at a special edition of The Platform, an event organized by The Covenant Nation to promote national development, Governor Soludo highlighted the stark contrast between the opulent lifestyles of government officials and the harsh economic realities faced by the country.
“Let’s come clean and straight with Nigerians. Nigeria is very poor and broke but the lifestyle of government and government officials does not show it, especially with the obscene flamboyance in public display,” Soludo stated.
Soludo criticized the extravagant lifestyles of government officials, suggesting they are sustained at the expense of the nation’s wealth. He emphasized the need for elected officials to align their earnings with the minimum wage to foster empathy and accountability.
“The poor are hungry and impatient, let’s not annoy them more with our insensitivity. In this case, I agree with Reverend Father Mbaka, who said elected governors should also earn minimum wage. I agree that we should be paid that so that we can feel that as well,” he said.
See Also: Labour Rejects Government’s Minimum Wage Offer
Governor Soludo revealed that he has not collected a salary since assuming office in Anambra, instead donating it to the state. He explained that this gesture, while symbolic, serves as a crucial signal of solidarity with the citizens.
“It is symbolic. It is not much. I think generally, the system is in denial. There must be some signalling, it is just the symbolism of this,” Soludo remarked.
The governor urged his peers and other elected officials to eliminate wasteful spending, proposing a new code of conduct for public officers. He detailed the dire financial situation, noting the meager revenue per capita at both federal and state levels.
“For the federal government, the actual projected revenue comes to about N6,160 per Nigerian, per month. For the states, except Lagos and a few states, most states have revenues amounting to less than N3,000 per resident, per month. It is from this shares per citizen that we are expected to provide all the infrastructure, debt service, pay salaries and pensions, build schools, and provide everything,” he explained.
Governor Soludo concluded by stressing the importance of public trust and the need for elected officials to be conscious of their spending. He said “for each of our wasteful spending, let’s be conscious of how many citizens’ shares we are squandering. Once we lose this consciousness about the public trust we bear, the society dies irredeemably.”
Source: PunchNG