Babatunji Wusu –
Charles Soludo, the Governor of Anambra State, has passionately called for a significant reduction in Nigeria’s governance expenses. Expressing deep concern, Soludo highlighted the nation’s dire financial situation, juxtaposed with the ostentatious lifestyles of government officials. In light of this, Soludo proposed a practical solution: placing political officeholders on the national minimum wage.
Soludo delivered this message during a special edition of The Platform, an event organized by The Covenant Nation to commemorate Nigeria’s Democracy Day. He underscored the harsh reality faced by Nigerians, describing widespread hunger, financial strain, and poverty. Despite these challenges, the elite class continues to indulge in luxury, disregarding the plight of the common people.
“Let’s come clean and straight with Nigerians. Nigeria is very poor and broke but the lifestyle of government and government officials does not show it, especially with the obscene flamboyance in public display,” Soludo said.
“The poor are hungry and impatient, let’s not annoy them more with our insensitivity.
“In this case, I agree with reverend father Mbaka, who said elected governors should also earn minimum wage. I agree that we should be paid that so that we can feel that as well.
“In Anambra, I have not received a kobo as salary since I assumed office. I have donated my salary to the state.
“It is symbolic. It is not much. I think generally, the system is in denial. There must be some signalling, it is just the symbolism of this.”
Soludo called for an end to wasteful spending in governance, stressing that elected officials must always remember they are in office based on public trust.
“That is why I proposed reinventing the new code of conduct for public officers,” he said.
“For the federal government, the actual projecting revenue comes to about N6,160 per Nigerian, per month.
“For the states, except Lagos and a few states, most states have revenues amounting to less than N3,000 per resident, per month.
“It is from this shares per citizen that we are expected to provide all the infrastructure, debt service, pay salaries and pensions, build schools and provide everything.
“For each of our wasteful spending, let’s be conscious about the fact how many citizen share we are squandering. Once we lose this consciousness about the public trust we bear, the society dies irredeemably.”
