The resolve by the 360 members of the House of Representatives to donate 50 per cent of their salaries for six months to vulnerable Nigerians is commendable. Hon. Isiaka Ayokunle (APC, Ogun) moved the motion entitled, “an appeal to the proponents of proposed nationwide protest to maintain peace, eschew violence and open the windows for meaningful engagements with the government at all levels in order to address their issues.” The House later adopted the motion after the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia) moved for an amendment that the lawmakers sacrifice 50 per cent of their monthly salary of N600,000 for six months to assist vulnerable Nigerians.
Kalu argued that the salary cut would be used to support Federal Government’s efforts to address rising cost of foodstuff in the country with a view to ameliorating the hardship Nigerians were going through. With each member paying N300,000 into a common purse, the Green Chamber will be contributing N108million monthly to the Federal Government and N648million for six months.
The gesture by members of the House of Representatives is exemplary and commendable. We urge the senators and governors to follow suit. The governors should go further to cut the cost of governance by reducing their so-called security votes and other wasteful expenditures. Let the belt tightening begin with those at the top. Asking the masses to tighten their belts has always been the norm.
We call on the governors to instill the culture of good governance in their domains and ensure that the welfare of the people is given priority attention. Let the governors also increase their internally generated revenues and stop depending so much on Abuja for their monthly allocation. Depending on the federal allocation alone will hardly ensure good governance at the sub-national level.
Apart from daunting insecurity, Nigeria is also grappling with unemployment, poverty and hunger. The federal government alone cannot solve these challenges. The states and local governments should complement the efforts of the central government in surmounting them.
A recent market survey shows that a 50kg bag of rice that was sold N30,000 some months ago currently sells at over N80,000 depending on location and quality. Similarly, the price of a bag of cement has gone up from N4,000 to N10,000. Also, a paint of garri which was earlier sold for N2,000 now sells for N4,000. House rents and transport fares have been hiked. Many companies have left the country because of unfriendly business climate.
There is no doubt that the government and the lawmakers are making some efforts to address the nation’s present challenges. In a bid to stem the acute hunger among Nigerians, the Senate recently called on the federal government to address the food insecurity in the country. In making the call, the senators noted the danger posed by food insecurity and urged the government to devise all possible means to address it. They listed insecurity, bad roads, removal of fuel subsidy and devaluation of the naira as some of the factors that account for food scarcity and consequent inflation of food prices.
In apparent response, the government announced plans to suspend duties, tariffs, and taxes on some essential food items imported through land and sea borders for 150 days. Under the policy, maize, husked brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas will be imported. The initiative, which is part of the Presidential Accelerated Stabilisation and Advancement Plan, would also enable the government to import 250,000MT of wheat and 250,000MT of maize.
Beyond the lawmakers’ laudable gesture, we advise that government should come up with sustainable policies to stimulate the economy and shore up the value of the naira. The poor value of the naira has worsened the economic hardship the citizens are saddled with. The new minimum wage of N70,000 which is yet to be implemented will be wiped out by inflation.
There is urgent need for realistic plans to increase food production across the country. The government cannot guarantee food security with food imports. Sadly, the mechanisation of agriculture is very low in the country. The government should do more in that regard. Let the country embrace all seasons’ farming and use of high yielding seedlings. The lawmakers should also make laws that will fasten good governance and enhance the welfare and security of the citizens.