The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media
and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, has lamented the constant
harassment of the Senate by Nigerians, adding that the upper legislative
chamber cannot disclose its salaries and allowances.
Abdullahi said this during a live programme on Channels Television titled, ‘Politics Today.’
The Senate spokesman also refused to state how much the lawmakers earned in salary and allowances.
He added, “This issue has become a
recurring decimal. In the last two years people have been discussing
this matter and I always ask myself, what do people really want to
believe? I think if this subject matter has been discussed for two years
and we are still looking at issues wrongly, then I think there is
something wrong with us.
“The institutions that are responsible
for providing this information are there. A law was promulgated on Top
Salary Scale also known as TOPSA and it is based on this scale that
everyone who holds one political office or the other gets paid.
“I want to also submit that I presume
Prof. Sagay would have been paid based on the provision of this scale.
For us in the National Assembly, the question needs to be asked ‘what
is the cost of having democracy and what is the cost of not having
democracy?’”
Sagay (SAN), had said last week that a Nigerian senator earns N29m per month.
“From the information I have gathered, a Nigerian senator earns about N29m a month and over N3bn a year,” the professor said.
He added, “Basic salary N2,484,245.50;
hardship allowance, 1,242, 122.70; constituency allowance N4, 968,
509.00; furniture allowance N7, 452, 736.50; newspaper allowance N1,
242, 122.70.
“Wardrobe allowance N621,061.37; recess
allowance N248, 424.55; accommodation 4,968,509.00; utilities
N828,081.83; domestic staff N1,863,184.12; entertainment N828,081.83;
personal assistant N621,061.37; vehicle maintenance allowance
N1,863,184.12; leave allowance N248,424.55; severance gratuity N7,
425,736.50; and motor vehicle allowance N9, 936,982.00.”
chineke!
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