Buhari’s Ministers Sad About The Proposed ‘Austere Package’

 

 The recently appointed Ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari, who had just spent three weeks in office, are reportedly unhappy about their proposed salary and allowance.

READ ALSO: Pres. Buhari Issues ‘Austere’ And ‘Embarrassing’ Salary Package For Ministers

It was learnt that some of the ministers were uncomfortable with the salary and allowance package as it might not be able to foot their bills.

According to a reliable source: “Most ministers have been sad since they received their letters of appointment because the salary and allowance package was a far cry from where they were coming from. We hope that ministers will eventually not steal if they have to serve this nation on hungry stomach.
“We have ministers in this government who left high-net worth job of $10,000 to $20,000 per month, how will they settle their bills? Some ministers have headed corporate. You can imagine a minister managing about $3billion portfolio now getting $8,521 per Annum.
“Some ministers have children in Ivy League universities where they are paying as much as $40,000 to $60,000 per annum. How will they be able to cope to meet up with their responsibilities?”
“Curiously, we have some Executive Secretaries, Directors-General and Group Managing Directors of parastatals like NNPC, PPMC, NCC, NDIC, PEF, PPPRA, DPR, NERC, NIGCOMSAT, and others who will be earning more than their ministers. I think the system is distorted somehow.”
Another source added: “To earn commensurate salaries and allowances, the president can explore foreign donors’ basket for payment of ministers. Or else, it will be difficult to get the best from this team.
“Alternatively, there might be scientific corruption in Buhari’s cabinet. This is the type of corruption we call ‘chop and clean mouth.’’

The package has caused a huge consternation in the cabinet because while Nigerian ministers earn $8, 514.28 Per Annum (N2,026,400), their counterparts in Ghana are on $50,000 (N11,900,000) and those in South Africa (the highest paying in the continent) were said to be taking home about $302,521 per annum.
Information gathered says that it was unclear if the ministers had made representation to the president or not.

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