By Muhammad Mamman
Civil society leaders, academics, and labour unions in Ebonyi State have condemned the proposed increase in the remuneration of political officeholders, warning that such a move would be insensitive, unjustifiable, and could provoke widespread public anger.
The warning comes in response to reports that the National Assembly, in collaboration with the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), is considering a salary increment for elected officials, despite the country’s worsening economic crisis.
Egwu Oguguo, Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Ebonyi State and lecturer at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, said the proposal was “anti-people” and “against the law of natural justice.”
“At a time when inflation has eroded the value of the new N70,000 minimum wage, it is insensitive to consider enriching government officials. Millions of Nigerians are struggling with hunger and multidimensional poverty. Any such increment will only widen inequality, fuel social vices, and provoke public anger,” Oguguo stated.
Supporting the NLC’s stance, Fidelis Ochim of the Federal University, Lafia, argued that the move amounted to “a disservice to Nigerians already enduring hardship caused by mismanagement of the economy.” He stressed that the state’s primary duty is to guarantee security and welfare for citizens, not to prioritise “the comfort of a privileged few.”
Legal practitioner Chidi Ude described the proposal as a negation of equity and fairness, noting that Nigerian lawmakers are already among the highest paid in the world, even as civil servants remain owed arrears and pensioners languish without pay.
“This proposed pay rise is unjustifiable and risks worsening the economic paralysis already confronting the country,” Ude warned.
Echoing similar concerns, Angela Nwafor, State Coordinator of the Civil Society Coalition for Good Governance, said the plan highlighted how detached the political class has become from the realities facing ordinary Nigerians.
“When leaders prioritise their own comfort over basic infrastructure, healthcare, and education, democracy itself is endangered. This proposal sends a dangerous message—that governance serves the interests of less than one per cent of the population,” she said.
The stakeholders were unanimous in urging the National Assembly and the federal government to abandon the proposed pay rise and instead channel scarce resources into fixing the economy, improving workers’ welfare, and addressing the country’s deepening insecurity.
