ABUJA – President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday asked the Senate to peg the salaries and allowances of the National Security Adviser, Gen Patrick Azazi, and Chief Economic Adviser, Prof (Mrs.) Kassey Garba, at par with remunerations for the Ministers .
But while the President was seeking for an upgrade in salaries for his advisers, the Senate accepted to cut the over head cost of members of the National Assembly to reduce the cost of governance.
President Jonathan in a letter to the Senate, read by David Mark, explained that the two advisers were deserving of an upgrade of salaries and allowances as they performed the same functions as ministers.
The letter read: “I write to request the distinguished Senate to pass a resolution upgrading the salaries and allowances of the Chief Economic Adviser and the National Security Adviser to be at par with that of ministers as per the powers conferred on you by Section 151 (2) of the 1999 constitution.
“My request is predicated on the peculiar nature of the functions the holders of these offices perform. These officials, among other things, chair committees and bodies whose membership includes serving ministers, in addition to their participating at Council meetings.
“I am certain that acceding to this request in the manner I solicit will enhance the capacity of the office holders to operate as tasked, and impact positively on their service delivery.”
Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, who disclosed the acceptance of the Senate to cut their overhead cost by 40 percent, said it was an expression of their commitment to reduce the high cost of governance in the country.
Ndoma-Egba also clarified that the cut was not in the salaries and allowances of senators but the cost of running the National Assembly, noting that salaries of senators were fixed by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC.
We don’t earn jumbo pay — Ndoma-Egba
He also dismissed the claims that senators were on jumbo pay, saying their salaries were at par with those of ministers and Supreme Court judges.
He said: “My pay has not been cut; my salary has not been cut because our salary is fixed by the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission. What has been cut is our over head, our running cost, what you people refer to as jumbo pay, the cost of running the National Assembly which you now attribute to us as jumbo pay.
“I want to be categorical that no salary of members of the National Assembly has been cut, because we earn about the same salary with ministers and Supreme Court judges”.
Source: Vanguard.
they should cut their salaries too,
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Jonathan seeks raise in NSA, Economic Adviser’s pay, Senate accepts to cut Overhead costs
Jonathan seeks raise in NSA, Economic Adviser’s pay, Senate accepts to cut Overhead costs
NigerianEye
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Wednesday, July 13, 2011
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