Reduce Lawmakers' Salary to 1 or 2 Million, Governor's Convoys to 5 Cars – ACF's Yerima Shettima
In a recent interview with THE PUNCH, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, the President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (ACF), shared his insights on the challenges faced by Nigerians following the removal of fuel subsidies. He also offered recommendations on what the Federal Government should have done before taking such a significant action.
Shettima suggested several key steps that the Federal Government should have taken prior to removing fuel subsidies. First and foremost, he emphasized the importance of addressing the state of Nigeria’s refineries. Shettima noted that previous administrations had declared a state of emergency to revitalize the refineries, but this initiative remained unrealized. Functional refineries, according to him, should have been a priority.
Secondly, Shettima stressed the need to revisit the minimum wage for workers. He believed that N50,000, the current minimum wage, was inadequate to meet the needs of Nigerian workers in today’s economic landscape. He urged the government to develop policies that would genuinely benefit Nigerian workers.
Furthermore, Shettima expressed his concern that Nigerians were being asked to make sacrifices without a corresponding commitment from those in government. He pointed out that members of the National Assembly were continually demanding more without making personal sacrifices. To rectify this imbalance, he proposed that both the legislative and executive arms of government should lead by example.
Specifically, Shettima called for a reduction in the extravagant convoys of state governors from their current 50 to 60 vehicles to a more modest number, ranging from five to six cars. He also advocated for a similar reduction in the President’s extensive fleet of vehicles. Additionally, he urged the National Assembly to review and significantly reduce the generous allowances they received, suggesting that they trim these allowances to a fraction of their current amounts. Shettima criticized the high monthly incomes of legislators, who earned more than N12 million, and proposed reducing their earnings to a range of N1 million to N2 million per month.
Shettima emphasized that sacrifice should be a shared responsibility between the government and the citizens. He questioned why ordinary Nigerians should bear the brunt of sacrifices when lawmakers were unwilling to do the same. He called on the government and the National Assembly to lead by example and show their commitment to addressing the challenges facing the country during this critical period.
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