Senator representing Borno south and Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Ali Ndume, has advocated part-time status for lawmakers in the country due to the dwindling effect of COVID-19.
In a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday, the lawmaker who sought for the office of Senate President last June maintained that it has become increasingly necessary for the nation to cut the cost of governance in the face of dwindling revenue from crude oil earnings occasioned by the pandemic, COVID-19.
Senator Ndume said all hands must be on deck to reduce recurrent expenditure in a situation when the government has made recourse to external borrowing to fund budget. The Senator further denied making calls for the salaries of civil servants across the board during an interview he granted in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
ALSO READ: COVID-19: I may be forced to lockdown Bauchi again ―Bala Mohammed
He said: “The statement credited to me was not a complete statement and I was quoted out of context. When they asked me questions about the revised budget, I said we should fasten our belt during this pandemic due to the fall in the prices of crude oil which is the mainstay of our economy. I said the Federal Government should critically look into cutting down of the cost of governance. I called for the reduction of overhead cost, salaries of senior public servants and the recurrent expenditure. That is what I said and I still stand by it.
“Taking cognizance of the fact that the salaries of the lower cadre civil servants are too small, I couldn’t have called for its further reduction. As a matter of facts, Nigerian civil servants deserve palliative from all tiers of government, even with their salaries.
“I maintain that since most of us who are public servants across the three arms of government are not working full time, for now, our salaries should no longer be paid 100 per cent. Overhead should also not be 100 per cent again. All those travel allowances should stop because we are not travelling again. We are operating from online now, the provision for stationery should be stopped. By that, so many expenditures would have been moved.
“As far as I’m concerned, we can make the National Assembly a part-time arrangement for now since we conduct our sitting once or twice in a week these days. If we make it part-time, that means our salaries must be reduced. The reality is that we can’t continue in a situation like this where 70 per cent of the country’s budget is going to personnel and recurrent expenditure as if everything is okay. This is a time when we are borrowing to fund the budget. I didn’t say salaries of civil servants who are struggling to survive, should be slashed. If under these critical circumstances, where 70 per cent of the budget goes to recurrent expenditure and overhead, then the government should really sit down and critically look at it.
“The government should identify public officers that can work part-time and reduce their salaries. For example, even we in the National Assembly, for the period of this pandemic, I strongly advocate that the work of the legislature and other people should be made par time and therefore, pay them on a part-time basis to reduce the cost. There are jobs that are not critical, that could be converted to a part-time basis to reduce costs.
“We cannot make the jobs of medical personnel part-time. There are other essential service workers like the police and the Army part-time. However, other jobs should be converted to part-time. A director who is sitting at home working via virtual means does not deserve a full salary. The current situation is not sustainable. I even believe in the Parliamentary system of government.
“When Prof. Ango Abdullahi said Nigeria should revert to the parliamentary system of government, I said I support it because the Presidential system of government is not for poor countries like us. Today, if Nigerians demand a reversion to the parliamentary system of government, I will support it. The running cost of the government must be reduced by a certain percentage that is significant so as to create jobs for the unemployed.”
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Buy and read digital replicas of your TRIBUNE titles by subscribing through E-VENDING
Nigeria’s COVID-19 Cases Hit 13,464 After 663 New Infections
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 663 new cases of COVID-19 in the country, bringing the total number to 13,464… Read full story
Olu Jacobs Is Alive, Says Lala Akindoju
As anxiety over the rumoured death of veteran actor, Olu Jacobs, heightened in the last two hours, popular actress and a close member of the family, Lala Akindoju, has debunked the death rumour. Rumours of the demise of Jacobs were rife on social media platforms but Akindoju said the news should be disregarded as Jacobs was doing fine… Read full story
Edo 2020: APC Inaugurates Screening Committee
The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee, on Tuesday, inaugurated screening and appeal Committees ahead of June 22 governorship primary in Edo State. Professor Jonathan Ayuba will serve as Chairman of the Screening Committee, while Professor Abubakar Fari will lead the Appeals committee… Read full story
Senate To Investigate BPE Over Non-Performance Of Paper Mills
Senate Committee on Privatisation has been mandated by the Senate to investigate operations and non-performance of paper mills sold by Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) to private owners… Read full story
Reps Halt Sale Of NECO Buildings, TSB, International Trade Fair
The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, directed the supervisory Boards of Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), International Trade Fair Complex, as well as management of National Examination Council (NECO) to halt the sale and concession of all properties within and outside the country, pending the conclusion of the… Read full story
CEO Tonimas Oil And Gas, Anthony Enukeme Is Dead
The Chief executive officer of Tonimas Oil and Gas, Chief Anthony Obiagboso Enukeme is dead. Chief Enukeme, who is also APGA board of trustee member passed on at the early hours of Monday… Read full story
Court Declares Aguma Rivers APC Acting Chair
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has declared Hon Igo Aguma, the Acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the state. The court also compelled the party to allow all members of the party loyal to Sen Magnus Abe, who purchased from for the congresses of the party in 2018 to take part in the process… Read full story
COVID-19: Gombe Taskforce Raises Alarm Over Upsurge In Positive Cases, Cry For Lack Of Funds To Operate
In his periodic update on the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the state, Chairman of the Gombe State COVID-19 Taskforce, Professor Idris Mohammed, has raised an alarm of community spread of the infection… Read full story
EDITORIAL: Bandits On The Prowl
LAST week, Katsina State governor, Honourable Aminu Bello Masari, vowed that he would no longer negotiate with bandits in the state. His grouse was that they had reneged on an agreement reached with the state government. According to him, they promised to repent and leave the North-West, but “they did not… Read full story
and then