Breaking News: Buhari Moves to Cut His Own Salary, Allowances.
what do you think?
According to Punch, there are strong indications
that in fulfilment of his campaign promise to
reduce the cost of governance, President
Muhammadu Buhari may have concluded plans to
slash his salary and reduce his personal
emoluments.
It was learnt that the President expected the Vice-
President and other political appointees to take a
similar decision.
Saturday PUNCH gathered in Abuja on Friday that
the President would have made his decision public
but chose to consult with his close associates on
how best to approach the issue without being seen
as dictatorial.
According to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation
and Fiscal Commission, President Buhari will
earn a monthly salary of N3, 514, 705. He is also
entitled to a regular hardship allowance and 50 per
cent of the basic salary, which is N1,757,350.50.
There is however no information yet as to what
percentage of Buhari's salary and emoluments will
be slashed. But it was reliably learnt that the
President would also reduce State House budget.
Other areas being considered by the President
included appointment of aides and the possibility
of implementing the report of the Stephen
Oronsaye-led Presidential Committee on the
Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal
Government Parastatals, Commissions and
Agencies.
Buhari, had on Tuesday sought the approval of the
National Assembly to appoint 15 special advisers,
unlike former President Goodluck Jonathan, who
had 23 special advisers and scores of special
assistants.
It was gathered that the President, who in his
inaugural speech, said the Nigerian economy was
in deep trouble, might not increase the number of
special advisers from 15 as part of the measures to
cut down cost of governance.
It was also learnt that the President might look into
the report of the Oronsaye committee and the
White Paper on it. The committee had said that out
of the existing 541 MDAs in the country, only 163
deserved to exist.
A top member of the APC, who confided in
Saturday PUNCH, said that the President had also
concluded plans to submit some bills to the
National Assembly for the implementation of some
of these cost-saving measures.
But President Buhari had, at various fora, faulted
the budgetary process adopted by successive
Peoples Democratic Party-led administrations over
the past 16 years.
A close confidant of the President, Kaduna State
Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, had in his
inaugural address to the people of the state,
announced a fifty per cent cut in his salary and that
of the deputy governor.
One of the President's acolytes, and South East
Zonal Spokesman of the All Progressives Congress,
Osita Okechukwu told Saturday PUNCH that, left to
him alone, President Buhari would not bat an
eyelid before taking such a decision.
He, however said:
"But you see, the circumstances now are
different, he has to do a lot of consultations
because the composition of the National
Assembly means he has to consult across party
lines.
From the little I know of him, his desire like he
said during the campaigns and afterwards, is to
reduce the cost of governance across board and
this cannot be done without consultations. We
can't have a situation where he will be seen as
trying to make other party members look bad by
taking a salary cut while others are not carried
along.
He is committed to cutting cost across board and
I see him reducing the pecks of that office to an
acceptable level and this becomes even more
compelling because of the economic mess we
have found ourselves in."
Another associate, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, also told
Saturday PUNCH that another area likely to take a
hit is the Presidential Air fleet which is reported to
have about 10 aircraft. He explained that the cost
of maintaining this number of aircraft is one area
that is likely to attract the President's attention.
According to him, the President who has
experienced governance at the highest level is not
one to do things in a hurry without consultation
and thinking them through.
Fashakin noted that critics may accuse the
President of not acting fast enough without putting
things in perspective. He said, for example,
"The President has not taken any definite action.
Ordinarily, people will not even expect the service
chiefs to still be operating now, but because of
the exposure and maturity that we are having in
government; with a person of President
Muhammadu Buhari's stature, he studies a
situation before taking action. He won't just
appoint ministers to fulfil all righteousness, he
will do a thorough job and this is a democracy
which he has subscribed to.
He promised to cut the cost of governance to an
acceptable level and this is even more so when
the economy like every other aspect of our
national life is in tatters."
Attempts to get a reaction on issues raised from
the Senior Special Assistant to the President on
Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, were
unsuccessful. Calls to his mobile phone did not
connect while a text message sent to him was yet
to be delivered as of the time of filing this report
(8:11pm).
It may be recalled that former President Goodluck
Jonathan-led administration had made a provision
of N348, 342,741 as its proposal for honorarium
and sitting allowance for the State House in the
2015 budget.
The breakdown of the expenditure on travel and
transport showed that the president will be
spending N1, 306,834,350 on local travels and
transport and the sum of N621, 067,913 on
international travel and transport.
The travel bill of the president for 2014 was higher
than the provision for 2014. The 2014 budget made
a provision of N2, 378,862,017 for the office of the
president for local and international travels.
For food stuff/catering materials supplies, a
provision of N142, 472,537 was made for the office
of the president.
The 2015 budget proposal included a provision of
N131, 911,315 for fuel and lubricants for the State
House. The breakdown showed that plant/
generator fuel will consume N35, 344,855; motor
vehicle fuel will consume N85, 843,802 while
cooking gas/fuel will consume N10, 102,858.
For 2014, the State House received lesser provision
of N122, 855,267 for fuel and lubricants. This was
broken down into motor vehicle fuel, N79, 950,407;
plants and generators, N33, 476,963 and cooking
gas/fuel cost, N9, 427,898.
A provision of N60, 847,647 was made for the office
of the president for advertisement and publicity.
For the State House, N287,514,283 provision was
made for welfare packages; N174,537,975 for
refreshment and meals; N215, 635,715 for food
stuff and catering services; N31,582,475 for
medical expenses; and N35,495,233 for publicity
and advertisement. These provisions are likely to
be reviewed downwards.
•Online PR | Photography | Graphics | E-Consultancy
• www.ThatYorubaBoy.com
☎ Call: +2348027631814
Blackberry Pin:25C01796
0 Comments: