The N8.5 million monthly running cost that members of the House of Representatives receive is insufficient, a lawmaker has said.
Oluwole Oke, who represents Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun State, stated this in an interview with Punch Newspaper.
The lawmaker admitted that the running cost is different from the N606,000 he earns as monthly salary as a federal lawmaker.
In comparison, a civil servant on the N30,000 minimum wage will have to work for 24 years to earn what an House of Represenatatives member earns as running cost monthly.
It is even worse in the case of senators who earn N13.5 million monthly as running cost. In that case, a civil servant on the minimum wage would have to work for 37 years to earn what a senator earns monthly.
The N30,000 minimum wage only came into place in April. Before then, the minimum wage was N18,000.
Despite the huge discrepancy between what lawmakers earn and what other public officials earn, Mr Oke still believes the running cost is too low.
“How much is N8.5 million to me as a person?” he said.
“If you have to embark on research, looking at all the bills that I have sponsored in the House, you will see that those bills that I sponsored are not ones you can just come by anyhow.
“They are not bills that you pick on the shelve.
“I remember when I promoted the National Pension Commission Act, it took me out to Chile and other countries like Argentina, the United Kingdom and India.”
“If you give me N8.5 million and I have to go
and find out what is happening aside from the information that I get
from the Internet.”
“Look at the tickets and see the flight costs even if I am flying economy class. So, how much is that?”
“If I have to engage lawyers and professionals to prepare bills for me,
to work on motions for me; and get researchers also,” he said.
However, hiring legislative aides such as research assistants is taken
care of separately. Each member of the House of Representatives is entitled to at least five aides paid by the government monthly. Presiding officers are entitled to more aides.
Mr Oke then made claims about the pay of U.S. lawmakers.
“Do you know how much their running costs are? It is $1 million. Do you know how much their salary is? It is $14,000 per month. Yet, you pay me $2,000 as salary,” he said.
Like Oke, like Shehu Sani Mr Oke’s revelation is coming over one year after a former senator, Shehu Sani, while serving in the 8th Senate, revealed the monthly running cost of Nigerian senators.
The senator who represented Kaduna Central revealed that he and his colleagues receive N13.5 million monthly as “running cost.”
Mr Sani said that the running cost does not include the N700,000 monthly salary a senator earns.
In further justifying the running costs, Mr Oke alluded to the societal pressure on lawmakers.
“Besides whatever you get here in the form of salary or allowances, you
have constituents with their numerous problems waiting (for you). Do
you know how many scholarships and school fees that I am responsible
for? Do you know how many constituents of mine who are ill; people who
want to put to bed, people who have to undergo operations (surgeries) or
need support? Do you know how many community projects that I have to
support or celebrations and events that I have to support” he said.
