Posted by By MARIAM ALESHINLOYE AGBOOLA, Jos on
The Civil Liberty Organization (CLO) has vehemently condemned the recently proposed basic salary increase for members of the National Assembly by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission describing it as 'neither justified nor defensible on any ground.
The Civil Liberty Organization (CLO) has vehemently condemned the recently proposed basic salary increase for members of the National Assembly by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission describing it as 'neither justified nor defensible on any ground.
A statement issued in Jos by the President of the organization, Mann Titus, said that considering the fact that government is never short of excuses for refusing demand of even a slight increase to their pitifully paltry salaries, such an increase of Reps salary now is unwarranted.
According to the organization, 'the proposal takes absolutely no account of the general poverty level and income disparities in the country, especially since this emolument concerns public office holders, adding, 'it is morally reprehensible and insensitive and provocative to propose this scandalous increase for officials, most of whom attained office through blatantly rigged elections and whose qualities continue to degenerate.'
It could be recalled that the Revenue Allocation and Fiscal Commission recently increased the basic salaries of the law makers by more than 100 per cent, with senators now to earn almost N2.5 million while the House of Representative members would now earn almost two million naira monthly, urging the Federal Government to drop the proposal forthwith.
In another development, the CLO has reiterated that the nation would resist any increase fuel price of petrol under the guise of subsidy withdrawal.
Rather than contemplate any fuel price increase, the CLO president, in a statement, said the Federal Government should decisively deal with the decay of the local refineries and handle the protracted militancy in the Niger Delta with more sincerity and firmness.
It warned against any fuel price increase, gradual or otherwise, stressing that the CLO would join the NLC and other social forces to oppose and resist it, should the Federal Government, against all reason, impose it.