Nigerian Senate insists on pay cut for President Goodluck Jonathan

As Nigerians await the reading of their 2012 budget statement, there are strong indications that salaries as well as general pay of the three arms of government will be cut.

Media reports in Nigeria say the Senate is insisting on pay cut for President Goodluck Jonathan and other workers as well as officials in arms of government including the judiciary,  or else the budget will run into hitches.

According to the Vanguard publication, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, chairman of the Senate Committee, who dropped the hint while addressing newsmen in Abuja said the Senate expected both the executive and the judiciary to comply with the need to reduce their budgets to help government cut down the high cost of governance.

“One thing is certain, we have reached a consensus between the executive and legislature that the cost of running the government is too high and that there will be a need to cut down the cost of government and I think that, that will be the general trend in this particular budget. So, we are looking forward to seeing the budget and how much has been cut in terms of running the government,” Vanguard quoted Senator Abaribe as saying.

Abaribe, who also spoke on the reported N50 billion slash of the proposed 2012 budget of the National Assembly by President Jonathan, said the Senate would only take action when the budget is formally brought to them, the publication said.

Nigeria’s 2012 budget is expected to be read at the National Assembly  later this month, November 2011.

By Ekow Quandzie