Traditional ruler tells Buhari: "Slash salaries of govt officials by 50%"

dimeji akinloye

June 7, 2015 4:51 PM

The traditional ruler said it is wrong to spend half of the country’s resources on paying salaries and allowances of political office holders.

A Cross River traditional ruler, Nya Asuquo, has called on the President Muhammadu Buhari government to reduce the cost of governance across the states by slashing salaries of political office holders by 50 per cent.

Asuquo made the call on Sunday, June 7, in Calabar, when he addressed newsmen at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport.

Asuquo, who represented Calabar/Odukpani Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, said that is important to slash jumbo pay of political office holder in order to reduce the cost of governance.

"Every political office holder’s salary in this country should be slashed at least by 50 per cent. The cost of governance in Nigeria is the highest in the world.

"It is wrong to use half of the country’s resources to pay for salaries and emoluments of political office holders with nothing left for capital development.

"If we do not have money for capital development, the country will not develop; we are spending too much on recurrent expenditure that does not generate income,’’ he said.

According to him, President Buhari has promised to cut cost of governance to an acceptable level, adding that it will save the country more funds for developmental projects.

dimeji akinloye