By: JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has expressed worries that despite the fact that Nigerian workers are overworked, underpaid and overtaxed, with take-home pay that cannot take them home, former Presidents and Head of States are warming up to claim 10 months outstanding entitlements.
In a statement signed by its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the group explained that it was disappointed by the body language of the former leaders.
“Some former Heads of State are allegedly warming up to collect about ten months arrears of allowances. Among them are General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) and General Olusegun Obasanjo (rtd).
“The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is deeply disappointed that these retired army generals and former heads of state cannot voluntarily forgo their entitlements particularly in Nigeria’s trying period. They are still expecting payment of arrears of salaries when workers have not been paid for months in some states,” the statement said.
It went on to charge the Federal Government (FG) to withhold the arrears of former heads of state until the country gets out of the current recession.
“This is how Nigeria is being bled nearly to death. There are too many yawning drainages. It is most unwise for this country to continue to throw scarce resources down drain pipes. This culture of waste must stop.
“We are just being patient with FG because we have faith in the Buhari administration. We have seen how prudent FG has been since Buhari took over. That prudence must be maintained. We therefore say capital ‘NO’ to salary arrears for overfed ex-presidents.
“We are constrained to ask the former heads of state, “What exactly do you want to offer this country in these troubled times? What are you prepared to sacrifice? Who among you is a pauper today? Who among you is not a billionaire? Who among you is ready to declare his assets as they stand at the moment? Do you really need these arrears before you can survive?”
MURIC pointed out that 21 ex-governors are currently in Senate, yet they get salaries, houses, vehicles, staffers, etc from their states as former governors.
“The vehicles must be changed every three years. This is parliamentary fraud. They are collecting full salary as senators and pension entitlements as ex-governors. Nigeria is indeed adept at wasting resources. This country is being scammed.
“Enough is enough. ‘Monkey dey work, baboon dey chop’. The rich gets richer and the poor gets poorer. The middle class has long been eliminated and the gap between the rich and the poor gets wider every day. Too many people are hungry. Too many people are starving and somebody is talking about paying arrears to ex-heads of state,” it added.
