The highest paid senator does not earn more than N900,000 monthly basic salary, Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) has said.
The senator said claims that lawmakers earn ‘jumbo’ salaries were not true, adding that he once earned N25,000 per month in the Senate.
He said contrary to the figures peddled in the media, only five per cent of the national budget goes to the National Assembly.
The lawyer wondered why Nigerians were not asking questions about how the remaining 95 per cent is utilised, adding that they are only being distracted from the real issues.
Ndoma-Egba was responding to a presentation by Prof Nsongurua Udombana, at a programme organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) at the union’s ongoing Annual General Conference in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
Udombana, a professor of International Law, in a paper titled: Justice in Public Interest, said corruption has eaten up the country, while the hard work of the many is being lost to the selfish desires of a few.
He criticised the National Assembly’s salary structure, which he said was among the highest in the world.
According to him, as at 2009, a senator in Nigeria earned N240 million (about $1.7 million) in salaries and allowances, while his United States’ (U.S) counterpart earned $174,000 and his United Kingdom’s (U.K.) counterpart earned about $100,000 annually.
But Ndoma-Egba said the tales about jumbo pay were more fictitious than real.
“When I got to the Senate in 2003, my salary in the first three months was N25,000. I can tell you here that the highest paid senator in Nigeria earns not more than N900,000!
“In the figure released recently, I am supposed to earn the same salary as a Supreme Court Justice and a minister, but their salaries are not called ‘jumbo pay’,” he said.
Udombana, however, said the “jumbo pay” earned by lawmakers was unfair.
According to him, corruption has become a counter-force to creativity with the dire consequences on the nation.
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idiot country, how much u dey pay security wey dey work 24/7 either private army and police constable . and u get d Gods to dat shxxxxxxts .
ReplyDeleteBasic salary he said. what about when every other thing is added? liers.
ReplyDeleteTell that to d birds "honourable" senator!
ReplyDeleteOh please, do we look like mumus? Who doesn't know that the 900k is basic. My basic salary is just 16% of my package, and there are allowances that I don't even earn at my grade. If that 900k is your basic, then are still not saying the same thing? Mschewwww
ReplyDeleteThief! Ole! We didn't expect u to agree to d Jumbo pay. Imagine! Comparing Senators to Supreme court Justices, pple with pry 6 certificates comparing themselves wt well read justices. Did ur works at d senate justifies such pay? Time will tell. Does a basic salary of 900k monthly even equates ur job at d senat, awon oloriburuku.
ReplyDeleteNonsense Ikom man that has even left his place undeveloped coming here to lie to the public!!! If your basic is that much, what when all other allowances are added? You all in politics are thieves that will burn in hell.
ReplyDeleteI do not expect this LAWYER-cum-SENATOR to tell us the "BITTER TRUTHS" neither do I expect him to tell us the "SWEET LIES"
ReplyDeleteWhat I'd expect him to do was to SHUT UP & continue RECEIVING his JUMBO PAY.
If less than 1% people out of Nigeria population earn 5% of National Budget, then there is a problem unresolved
ReplyDeleteSadly they represent less than 0.001% of our estimated 167million indigenes
DeleteLook at this man. So 900k is peanuts, eh?
ReplyDeleteWho's side is he on, quite confused. besides 900000 naira basic salary is extravagant for one of the poorest countries in the world.
ReplyDeleteWho's side is he on, quite confused. besides 900000 naira basic salary is extravagant for one of the poorest countries in the world.
ReplyDeleteWho's side is he on, quite confused. besides 900000 naira basic salary is extravagant for one of the poorest countries in the world.
ReplyDeleteIf the senate who majority has no basic qualifications nor training to be there collects 900000 as basic salary apart from other allowances, how much is the ASUU who most, are doctors, prof in their various field demanding from fed. govt? Very soon u'll give account of every penny u loots and wasted in this country to the Highest Judge Papa God Himself.
ReplyDeleteTHESE PEOPLE BELIEVE WE ARE ALL IDIOT, WHEN YOUR BASIC IS 900,000, WHAT ABOUT THE ALLOWANCES E.G HOUSING, DRESSING, TRANSPORTATION, FEEDING, ENTERTAINMENT,ALL THESE SHOULD BE AROUND FOUR MILLION NAIRA. I STAND TO BE CORRECTED.
ReplyDeleteFools are leading this country. We can't continue like this.
ReplyDeleteImagine the foolish lawmakers!!! I'm amazed they even collect sitting allowance. If they laugh, they will debate to collect laughing allowance
ReplyDeleteHonestly, thus is the most sick, stupid and foolish defence so far. Sadly it is coming from someone a lawyer by profession and supposedly a "lawmaker". I remember my days in the bank, my basic pay was less than 15% of my take home pay...this is a tax avoidance tool in Nigeria, cos taxes are not paid on allowances. If the basic is 900k, I bet you each take home more than 20million/month. The moron even had the moral gut to say that the public ought to asking where the remaing 95% of the budget goes, when actually it should be their work to checkmate the Executive. This idiot is a disgrace to his noble profession. Shame!
ReplyDeleteDats why day are growing like broilers chicken becose day don't now wat to do with d money
ReplyDeleteMy too know ! What have u done with ur constituent's development fund of about 600 million per quarterly! For twelve yrs as a senator, the only computer center open is located at calabar! A school lever will pay t.p from central senatorial district and come n rent house in calabar to learn micro soft word. Scholarship is base on compensation! Pls go and ask Sent.Ben what representation entails! It not all about speaking grammar @ plenary, empower d poor people of or constituent bCOs we know what every senator is taking home.pls keep my I'd!I still get people to settle b4 I kpai
ReplyDeleteMy Senator, why did d NASS challenge d CBN Governor 2 come out and prove his claim that 25% of Nigeria's budget are paid 2 NASS members as salaries and allowances, rather he was intimidated 2 back down. My Senator leave story 4 tortise.
ReplyDelete