he unexamined life is not worth living" So said Socrates at his trial for heresy. Questions that all members of the National Assembly should ask themselves are: do I have the best interest of my country at heart? Am I doing my best to move this country forward? Am I making this country better for the next generation? What is my contribution to the ascent of this country? Do I put my country first? Is money my priority or service to the nation? I challenge all these people to reflect on these questions and be the judge in their own case and come to terms with their conscience. To the outsiders who observe the madness going on, on the floor of our National Assembly, it is no good news to see the greed, insensitivity, and the level of plundering and opportunism going in the country. The legislators (or legislooters), as my friend Babs, likes to call them) most of whom are lacking in moral rectitude to hold their positions, did not do much to earn their emoluments, they have nothing to offer the country, all they are after is the money, what is in it for them and how they can benefit themselves and their families at every opportunity. They are collectively lacking the wisdom to move the country forward, it is evident in the way they handle the affairs of the nation and the way they dish out public money to themselves.
Nigerian legislators are among the highest paid in the world. It is sickening and mind boggling to see the way our legislators squandered public money and loot the national treasury like there is no tomorrow. In a country where many youths are unemployed, where the workers' average income is less than $150.00 per month, where industries are relocating to other neighboring countries due to perennial and incessant power outages, where most of our infrastructures have been run down due to neglect, where graduate unemployment ranked one of the highest in the world, where banks close down as a result of siege by the armed bandits, it is criminal to see how much these politicians take home monthly minus the ones they amass illegally. From what I found out, according to ( IMF, 2009) statistics, per capital income in Nigeria is $1,442, Sudan is $1,398, I picked Sudan in Africa because is seen as poor and backward even by Nigerians, Trinidad & Tobago is $15,581, per capita income in the USA is little above $46,381, in the UK is about $35,000, for Canada is $39,669.00. In the US, an average family annual income is about $50,000, in France is about $58,000, in Australia family income is about $60,000 An average family income in Canada is $42,000, In Germany, is about $30,000, In GB it is about $33,000. Nigeria comes in at 193 in the world with average family annual income at $900.00 a year. 70% of Nigerians live below the poverty line!
Presidents, V. Ps and Principal Officers' Annual Take Home:
South African President earns $305, 800.00, Canadian PM. Takes home $309,800.00, Australian PM. Pay is $315, 800, it is relevant to point out here that, the Australian Senate leaders voted to increase the PM. salary to $1 million per annum, but the PM. Kevin Rudd declined! France President annual pay is $319,800, Obama; President of the USA has an annual income of $400,000.00. The two highest paid presidents are the PM. of Singapore, with $2.7 million and Chief Executive of Hong Kong at $515, 300.00. The annual salary of the British PM is $300, 400.00, German's Chancellor is $303,800.00, Vice President of the USA who is also the Senate President takes $227,300.0034.1, Speaker of the House in the US takes home $223,500.0033, Other Senators $174,000.0026. Majority Leader (Representative) $193, 40029. Minority Leader (Representative) $193, 40029. Cabinet Secretary $193, 40029, all income to the nearest dollars. These are the first world countries; they have the capacity and resources to pay more for their leaders who work tirelessly and relentlessly.
When I began my search for the politicians income in Nigeria, many figures were flying at my face, I decided to go with the ones approved by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and ratified by the Harmonization Committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives aka Salaries and Allowances of certain political, public and judicial office holders Act 2002 and Other Matters Connected thereto, 2008. The following figures are obtained from the documents under the new dispensation; the basic annual salary of the President is N3, 514,705 as against the former N1.405 million. This is besides allowances which bring the total remuneration of the President in a year to N10.899 million (about US$93,000). The harmonized version of the Act released by the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Rules and Business, showed that an annual basic salary of N3, 031,572.50 was approved for Vice President. Chief of Staff to the President, Ministers, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation as well as the Head of Civil Service of the Federation would earn N2, 026,400.00 annually.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria would earn N3, 363,972.50 while the Justices of the Supreme Court and President of the Court of Appeal are to earn N2, 477,110.00 each. Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, and Justice of the Court of Appeal would earn N1, 995,430.18 each. An annual basic salary of N908, 321.00 was approved for Area Council Chairmen while Area Council Vice Chairmen would earn N853, 056.00 annually. Supervisory Councillor of Area Council is to earn N809, 300.00, Secretary N809, 30 0.00 while Special Adviser is to earn N760, 076.00. Each of Nigeria's 109 senators collected N180 million as quarterly allowances and N2.026 million as salary in the last one year, but passed only 13 bills. On their parts, each of the 360 members of the House of Representatives pocketed N110 million as quarterly allowances and N1.98 million as salary, but passed only 16 bills and several motions during the same period. The allowances of each senator translate to N45 million per quarter and N27.2 million for each representative. Under the last increase, the monthly basic salary of a senator was hiked from N993, 697 to N2.48m per month just as that of a member of the House of Representatives moved from monthly N794, 084 to N1.98m per month.
Here are the approved allowances for the lords and masters of our nation: Other allowances expressed as percentages of basic salaries are:
Hardship Allowance @ 50%, Constituency allowance @ 200%
Newspaper allowance @ 50%, Wardrobe allowance @ 25%
Recess Allowance @ 10%, Accommodation @ 200%
Utilities @ 30%, Domestic Staff @ 75%
Entertainment @ 30%, Personal Assistance @ 25%
Vehicle Maintenance Allowance @ 75%, Leave Allowance @10%
Together with the followings: Motor Vehicle Loan N5,066,0004,963,031, Duty Tour Allowance per day N23,00021,000, Severance Gratuity N6,079,2005,955,637, Estacodes $600 $550. All these allowances are tax free.
Borrowing from Daniel Elombah:
Here is the breakdown and analyses of what our politicians make at our expense:
The above figures translate to the fact that in addition to the regular and legitimate salaries and allowances of N17 million ($113,333) and N14.99 million ($99,933) which senators and reps were collecting yearly and the irregular allowance of estacodes, duty tours etc, they were also collecting N192m ($1.28m) and N140m ($0.93m) respectively in illicit quarterly allocation which is not provided for by RMAFC.
Effectively, a Nigerian senator was taking home at least $1.40m ($1.28m quarterly allocations plus $0.113m regular salaries and allowances) as against the $0.174m an American senator takes home. Clearly, a Nigeria senator earns at least 8 times as much as an American senator and more than 3 times the American president.
Senate President David Mark alone takes N250 million quarterly or N83.33 million per month. Senate Deputy President Ike Ekweremadu gets N150 million per quarter or N50 million a month.
Mark and Ekweremadu earns in 4 months, six times what the UK Prime Minister earns in a year. David Cameron goes home with £190,000 per annum (N43, 700,000).
Here is what the average monthly police man earns in Nigeria depending on their ranks:
Constable = N22, 000 ($146.66) - N27, 000 ($180.00)
Corporal = N27, 000 ($180.00) - N28, 000 ($186.66)
Sergeant = N31, 000 ($206.66)
Inspector = N50, 000 ($333.33) - N52, 000 ($346.66
Assistant Superintendent of Police = N80, 000 ($533.33) - N83, 000($553.33) depending on whether he is a one-star ASP or two-star ASP.
A deputy Superintendent of Police = N90, 000 ($600.00).
A full superintendent = N100, 000 ($666.66). Asst. IGP N208, 982 ($1393.21) - N229, 842 ($1532.28)
It is the same thing in the Armed forces, a search for the annual income of the Inspector General of Police returned no values, but disclosed that a Brigadier General in the Nigerian Army or its equivalent will receive about N2.687 million, about $133,000, you can bet, it would be more than that with all the allowances.
In Canada recruit training salary is $37, 237 per annum.
After graduation, the starting salary for a constable is $51,156 per annum. In addition, there are shift penalties and overtime payments available.
Annual increments are payable. Currently a constable can expect to be earning $56,943 per annum by their fourth year of service.
In Ney York as of July 31, 2010, police officers will get a 17 percent pay raise over its four-year term, this raises starting pay from $35,881 to $41,975, and top pay from $65,382 to approximately $76,000 annually. With longevity pay, holiday pay, night shift differential and other additions, the total annual compensation for officers receiving top pay will be around $91,823, not including overtime. In some other neighboring states, police officers' top base salaries could range from around $85,000 to $105,000, not counting longevity, uniform pay, overtime and benefits. In 2007 a Westchester County Department of Public Safety officer reportedly made over $250,000 (with overtime), making him the highest paid police officer in the United States.
These undesirable politicians in all their wisdom rejected the payment of N52, 200 ($346.66) monthly minimum wages that the national leadership of NLC and TUC are fighting for. This proposal is not even up to the free-hand out called "Constituency Allowance" which they receive and are not even accountable or answerable to anybody on how is spent!
Final thought:
You can now see why police officers are corrupt, lazy and unwilling to risk their lives in any situation, simply because is not worth it. You can all see now why politics is do or die affair in the country. It is very clear that these jokers and obnoxious individuals will not relinquish power unless by force and they will not go down without a fight. You can feel the rage and bewilderment go through me now. The solution is in our hands, collectively. We need to get rid of these cankerworms, whatever it takes. The next elections in 2011 will be a litmus test for the nation; it will make or mar Nigeria.
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