Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has urged the chairman and members of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, to immediately slash the salaries and allowances of the President, Governors, National Assembly members, as well as other political office holders by at least fifty percent to make the offices less attractive and check the excesses that go with the fat remuneration for such positions.
The Governor stated this on Wednesday during a breakfast meeting with the chairman of RMFC Engr. Elias Mbam, and other members of the commission at the Government House, Owerri.He argued that with the downward review of salaries and allowances of political office holders, such positions and offices would become less attractive leading to the ultimate reduction of the tension that always go with the contest or scramble for such offices.
Okorocha further stated that the drastic reduction of the take-home pay of political office holders would equally, to a large extent reduce poverty among the populace and also reduce crimes that are mostly borne out of the envy occasioned by these bloated salaries and allowances of political office holders.
He maintained that by making the salaries and allowances of political office holders less attractive, only those keen in rendering genuine service to the people would go for such public offices and no more those who are coming for the privileges or benefits of the offices.
In the words of the Governor, “when the salaries and allowances of public office holders whether elected or appointed are reviewed downward, at least by fifty percent or even more than that, it would make the offices less attractive and with that, only those who want these offices for service would go for them.
“If one knows that at the end of the month your total pay as governor or national Assembly member would be less than five hundred thousand Naira, most people would stay away. And only those with ideas and the genuine spirit of service would aspire for such offices.
To Okorocha, “the huge amount spent on recurrent expenses should be directed to infrastructure, while the paraphernalia of offices should be drastically reduced. Genuine people who are ready to sacrifice for their people should be encouraged for leadership positions while those coming for the gains of the offices should be discouraged.”
He regretted that Imo state has never benefitted from Agricultural and ecological funds being given to states despite the state’s agricultural potentials and ecological challenges, and called for consideration.
In his remarks, Chairman of the commission, Engr. Mbam said they had chosen the state for their retreat because of the good stories being associated with it in terms of security, infrastructure, tourism, hospitality and so on, adding that they were satisfied with what they have seen so far in the state in terms of her development and growth.
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