FG criticised over jumbo perks for military, politicians, others

Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) has demanded an end to the alleged unfair and class-apartheid emolument system for serving and retiring military officers, judges and top political officers.

Rather, CDWR demanded an increment of workers’ wages/salaries to living wage in line with the inflation rate.

In a statement, jointly signed by the National Chairperson, Rufus Olusesan, and National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Bosah, respectively, the group said: “We also demand the abrogation of jumbo/outrageous salaries and allowances of political office holders, judges, top military officers and its reduction to the average wage and allowances of skilled workers.

“It is a disservice to the toiling Nigerian workers and masses for President Tinubu to approve jumbo salaries, allowances and outrageous perks for serving and retiring generals and top military officers while subjecting those who labour to create the wealth of the country to poverty wage and pension.

“This approval was done through the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers and Enlisted Personnel in the Nigerian Armed Forces, wherein the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs and top military generals are entitled to $20,000 (about N32,000.000) local/international medical treatment annually, bullet-proof SUVs and other perks.

“The $20,000 medical tourism abroad similar to the benefits accruable to top political office holders (past governors and presidents) is one of the reasons our medical services and healthcare in Nigeria is largely neglected, poorly funded and backwards.”

It noted that at a period when Nigerian doctors, nurses and other professionals were relocating abroad because of poor remunerations and funding of public healthcare in the country, the approval of medical tourism for top generals was an ill-advised policy that would deepen the rot in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

He noted that instead of promoting medical tourism, a serious government would prioritise adequate funding of public healthcare, improvement in the pay and conditions of healthcare professionals and the provision of medical insurance in order to ensure that all Nigerian citizens, including political office holders, patronise the public healthcare system.

“Similarly, jumbo allowances and perks were approved for judges last year (August 2024) by President Tinubu. That jerked up the salaries and allowances by 300 per cent. Before the astronomical increase in their salaries and allowances, judges already earned jumbo emoluments.

“In the same vein, top political office holders, like governors, legislators, and President award to themselves outrageous salaries and allowances aside from several other ‘legalised looting’.”

The group lamented that the same government finding it impossible to pay Nigerian workers living wages would approve all manner of jumbo salaries, allowances and perks for top political office holders, judges and military top brass.