From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Leader of Enugu State House of Assembly and member representing Udenu State Constituency, Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, has proposed to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to as a matter of urgency slash the remunerations of federal lawmakers.
The lawmaker described the current pay packages of National Assembly members as outrageous when compared to what was obtainable in other climes. He also suggested a trim down of the federal legislature to a unicameral system. He said Nigeria should go back to a parliamentary system of government, noting that the nation’s economy could no longer carry the huge burden of maintaining the two sets of lawmaking with colossal pay packages involved.
In a valedictory interview, Ezeugwu said: “We should try to make the legislative arm of government at the national level less attractive pecuniary wise, so that if you don’t have the zeal to serve the people, you won’t aspire to go there. Anybody whose intention is to go and amass wealth will just be discouraged. And this should be handled by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
“With this kind of arrangement, you will find out that only those who have the interest to serve the people at heart would be interested in going to the National Assembly even for many terms. So, I agree that the remuneration of the National Assembly members is huge, but it’s not that attractive at the state level. But we need to do something, like making it a part time, and above all the best model as far as I am concerned is that we go back to the parliamentary system.
“Even if we’re not going back to the parliamentary system, do we need the Senate and House of Representatives with this cash crunch? If you ask me, I will say let’s just have a unicameral legislature and the House of Reps which involves more representatives should just be okay for us.
There’s no need to duplicate their functions, and that’s what’s happening there.”