Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has slammed the proposed salary review for political office holders, describing it as “insensitive” given the current economic struggles facing millions of Nigerians.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Falana faulted the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) for ignoring the harsh realities of citizens’ living conditions.
“I don’t think the RMAFC has considered the living standards in the country, especially the harrowing experiences of ordinary Nigerians,” he said.
He pointed to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which shows that over 133 million Nigerians are living in multidimensional poverty. “With this level of suffering, it is insensitive for any government agency, particularly the RMAFC, to propose an increase in the emoluments of public officials,” Falana added.
The senior lawyer warned that raising politicians’ pay while citizens struggle with inflation, unemployment, and deepening poverty would only widen the gap of distrust between the people and government.
