‘Pay Cut Is A Sign Of Commitment To Service’

A Yola-based lawyer, Mr. Binani Esthon has described the recent announcement of 50 percent salary by President Muhammadu Buhari, that him and his deputy, Yemi Osinbanjo as a welcome development and sign of commitment to service.

The lawyer told The Guardian in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, that the president and
his deputy by the action have proved to Nigerians that their interest is to provide quality services.

“This action truly confirmed that Mr. President is out to give the people of Nigeria quality services that he was not allowed by some people to give during his military days. He is completely committed to the restoration of the battered image of the country and bring sanity in the system,” he said.

Esthon asked Nigerians not to pay more attention to the pay cut.

“How much is the total salary of the president, his deputy and state governors? If the governor is collecting N1 million and his allowances is N500 million, and the pay cut did not include the allowances then it make no meaning, because if the governor divide N1 million naira into two, it means only N500,000.00 that will go the state. What is the money from the pay cut going to be used for and how is the people going to know that the salaries have been cut,” he asked.

He said that for Nigerians to see the benefit of the pay cut by the president and the governors, a special account should be operated by both the federal and state governments that are involved in the
pay cut syndrome, pointing out that the monies from the account should be voted for special projects .

This, he noted that it will convince Nigerians that the pay cut has bring fruitful results to the
people.

“If you used the money from the pay cut to paid workers salaries, it makes no meaning to people, because with or without pay cut there is budget for worker’s salaries, so the people will value the pay cut when they see projects executed with it”, he explained.

He said: “There is another thing that we must be careful with when we are celebrating the pay cut issue, if a governor and his deputy said they cut their salaries by half and decided to increase their allowances which is not affected by the cut or increase their foreign and local trips to enable them recover what they lose through the pay cut, then it will be the worse corruption.

“So all governors’ foreign trips should be approve by the lawmakers after convincing them on the importance of such trip to the people of the state.

Esthon who lamented that some governors after being elected will shift their base to Abuja, using their state funds on things that have no direct or indirect impact on the people of their states, urged the president to them.

“His action will indict any government official and lawmaker that will attempt to increase allowances as was obtained during the past administrations.

“Mr. President has succeeded in caging the greedy politicians. But the pay cut cannot bring the deserved development in the country, considering that corruption has eaten deep into every fabric of the society. That is why Buhari administration should take the bull by the horn and ensure that corruption is tackled adequately,” he said.

Esthon, who was also the secretary of the panel that indicted Adamawa state former governor Murtala Nyako, said that Nigerians will only believe and be convinced when those that are involved in pay cut campaign displayed their receipts, showing that 50 percent of it has been cut.