Premium Times reports that the Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro’s claim on a television programme on Monday that he draws N4 million annually as salary and allowances is false.
Mr. Obanikoro, alongside other Nigerian ministers, earn far ahead of that figure according to government schedule of remuneration for ministers, and in four probable rates computed by this newspaper based on stipulated guidelines, the lowest amount a minister could take home is N6.59 million per annum and the upper limit may hit N12.97 million or more.
The rates include a minister’s basic salary, and allowances for accommodation, motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance, entertainment, utility and newspaper/periodicals. The upper limit reflects payment for furniture and an official car.
But speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, Monday, Mr. Obanikoro said his basic salary as minister is N2 million, and N4million if allowances are included.
The minister, who joined the cabinet less than two months ago, cited the figure as he ridiculed the Lagos State government’s claim of constructing low-cost houses for residents.
Mr. Obanikoro said the claim is deceptive as the buildings were being sold by the Lagos authorities for N16 million per two-bedroom apartment, and as such cannot be categorized as “low-cost”.
Mr. Obanikoro is an outspoken critic of the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola.
“How can a governor in good conscience tell me that a N16 million two-bedroom flat is low cost?” he asked during the programme. He said even as minister, earning N2 million, he could not afford the new houses.
“When Alhaji Jakande was governor, I bought a form for 1 Naira 50kobo, I was a clerk working in Union Bank, he actually built for the poor. I bought a form, I bought a flat, and you paid 1,500 Naira to be a house owner at that time.”
When the presenters of the programme asked him whether he arned N2million or N$2million, the minister insisted, “My annual salary is N2 million, everything put together plus my allowances is N4 million”.
The claims do not conform to rates provided by the Revenues Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, the government body responsible for specifying the earnings of political office holders and judicial workers.
Under the 2008 Remuneration Act, ministers are classified alongside the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of Service and Chairpersons of statutory bodies such as INEC and National Human Rights Commission.
Those officials receive N2.026 million as basic annual salaries and their allowances cover an array of privileges stretching from accommodation to estacodes.
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