Posted on: 09:59 Sat, 28 Nov 2015



Barely three weeks in office,
President Muhammadu Buhari has
shocked Ministers with poor salaries
and austere allowances.

He has also imposed dos and don’ts
on the ministers including travel
restrictions.

Most Ministers were said to be
embarrassed by the perks of office
accruable to them in office.

The only leverage the Ministers will
enjoy is the privilege of flying in a
Business Class on trips.

These conditions of service for
Ministers were contained in a letter
given to them during the week by the
Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Engr. Babachir David
Lawal.

The letter said: “I am pleased to
inform you that the President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has
appointed you as a Minister in the
Government of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria
“The appointment takes effect from
11th November, 2015 under the
following Terms and Conditions of
Service as contained in “Certain
Political, Public and Judicial Office
Holders(Salaries and Allowances, etc)
(Amendment ) Act 2008.”

“I am to add that your tenure
terminates at the end of this
Administration unless otherwise
decided by Mr. President. Please
accept my heartiest congratulations
and best wishes on your
appointment.”

The SGF’s letter gave the details of
the perks which the ministers will
enjoy in office as long as they last in
the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

While the substantive minister will
earn N2, 026, 400 Annual Basic
Salary($8,514.285), Minister of State
is to get N1.8million($7,563.025) per
annum.

Other highlights of the conditions
include: Estacode Allowance($900
per diem); Duty Tour Allowance
(N35,000); Utilities Allowance
(Telephone/ Electricity/ Water)–30%
of Annual Basic Salary (N607,920);
Domestic Staff Allowance(75% -
((N1,519,800) of Annual Basic Salary;
Medical Facilities (in accordance
with NHIS Policy); Special Assistant
(To be provided in kind); Security
(To be provided in kind); Air Travel
(By Business Class); Newspaper
Allowance (15% of Annual Basic
Salary-N303,960).

The letter said: “As a Political Office
Holder, you must obtain permission
from Mr. President before you travel
out of Abuja. If the trip is official,
Ministers are entitled to a Duty Tour
Allowance of N35,000 per diem.
However, all private journeys will
attract no Allowance.

“Severance Allowance of 300 %of
Annual Basic Salary payable after
full tenure of office with
government. The allowance will be
pro-rated after a minimum of two
years tenure.

It added: “200 % of Annual Basic
Salary (N4,052,800) will be paid to
you to enable you to acquire
accommodation of your choice in
line with monetization policy.

“Furniture Allowance. 300
%(N6,079,200) of Annual Basic
Salary will be paid once in every
four years. The allowance will be
paid annually at the rate of 75%
(N1,519,800) of Annual Basic salary.

“Motor Vehicle Fuelling Maintenance
Allowance. 75% of Annual Basic
Salary (N1,519,800) for the
maintenance of your vehicle(s) as
Government no longer provides
chauffeur driven vehicles to Political
Office Holders/Public Officers for
house to office running.

“Annual Leave (30 calendar days for
each leave year or calculated on pro-
rata basis, with 10% of Annual Basic
Salary(N202,640) as leave grant);
Personal Assistant Allowance (25% of
Annual Basic salary to enable you to
employ a Personal Assistant of your
choice).”

Investigation however revealed that
some of the ministers were
uncomfortable with the salary and
allowance package because it might
not be able to pick their bills.
The package has caused rumbles in
the cabinet because while Nigerian
ministers earn $8, 514.28 Per
Annum (N2,026,400), their
counterparts in Ghana are on
$50,000 (N11,900,000) and those in
South Africa (the highest paying in
the continent) were said to be taking
home about $302,521 per annum.

A reliable source said: “Most
ministers have been sad since they
received their letters of appointment
because the salary and allowance
package was a far cry from where
they were coming from. We hope
that ministers will eventually not
steal if they have to serve this nation
on hungry stomach.

“We have ministers in this
government who left high-net worth
job of $10,000 to $20,000 per month,
how will they settle their bills? Some
ministers have headed corporate.

You can imagine a minister
managing about $3billion portfolio
now getting $8,521 per Annum.

“Some ministers have children in Ivy
League universities where they are
paying as much as $40,000 to
$60,000 per annum. How will they
be able to cope to meet up with their
responsibilities?”

As at press time, it was unclear if the
ministers had made representation
to the president or not.

“Curiously, we have some Executive
Secretaries, Directors-General and
Group Managing Directors of
parastatals like NNPC, PPMC, NCC,
NDIC, PEF, PPPRA, DPR, NERC,
NIGCOMSAT, and others who will be
earning more than their ministers. I
think the system is distorted
somehow.”

Another source added: “To earn
commensurate salaries and
allowances, the president can
explore foreign donors’ basket for
payment of ministers. Or else, it will
be difficult to get the best from this
team.

“Alternatively, there might be
scientific corruption in Buhari’s
cabinet. This is the type of
corruption we call ‘chop and clean
mouth.’

Source: TheNation