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Salary Raise for Nigerian Politicians.

Started by HUSNAA, August 21, 2008, 04:53:36 AM

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HUSNAA

Nigerian politicians are all set to get a 100% salary raise effective from May 2008 (i.e. with arrears). The annual salary of President Umar Musa Yar adua

will be approximately 11 million Naira; vice president will be approximately 9 million Naira; Senate president will get approx. 10 million; ministers will get

approx. 16 million per person per annum, presidential advisors: approx 16 million/person/annum; Senators: approx 17 million/person/annum. The salary is

inclusive of such allowances as newspaper allowance which is approximately N300,000/ person/annum and domestic allowance (for cooks and houseboys)

which ranges from 1.4 to 1.7 million for senators and honorables. Leave allowance is about N350,000/person/annum.

The minimum wage in Nigeria is N7000. Recently teachers went on strike to demand better pay and working conditions. It took almost two months for the

government to listen to their plea. At the end, they only got 27.5% raise. If a head master is earning 180,000 per annum, a 27.5% raise on his salary

would come to just under 300,000 Naira per annum, which is even less than the newspaper allowance of politicians' salary! Where is the justice in this? Who is more

important in the the society or who contributes more to the society? Haba jama'a!

Ghafurallahi lana wa lakum

HUSNAA

              Plight of Nigerian teachers


                                          Contributed by Babagana Modu Monguno
Thursday, 10 July 2008

For too long, Nigerian teachers have suffered unspeakable deprivations and indignities in the hands of government as a result of their ridiculously poor remuneration and working environment. Governments at all levels treat teachers with utmost disdain whenever teachers clamour for a just and equitable package. Yet we always mouth the truism that for Nigeria to make any meaningful progress, education as a means of human resource development must be adequately taken care of as a matter of top priority.

The poor quality of Nigerian university graduates is directly associated with their poor academic foundation in the primary and secondary educational stages. Political leaders from the president down to the councillors, and bureaucrats from the permanent secretaries to the Grade Level II civil servants (el-Rufai) has outsourced Level I) have all passed through the hands of teachers, but these ingrates have hardly looked back to improve the welfare of their benefactors (teachers). Today, teachers exhibit the lowest morale; in fact, they are catastrophically wretched and their uninspiring material condition is a great disincentive to aspiring teachers and students alike, to the extent that out of any sample of 1000 students, you will hardly get one whose future ambition is to become a teacher or to be married to a teacher. The historically-prestigious teaching profession can now be justifiably associated with poverty manifesting in threadbare clothes, long faces, hunger, ejection from rented houses, dejection, alienation and squalor. Those outside the profession thank their stars and pray never to come in, while those inside look forward to the day they will move on to rewarding jobs. It is as much a refuge for desperate souls facing a Hobson's choice as it is the first love of the remaining multitude who are extremely patient and dedicated despite the daunting odds.

This unfortunate scenario is a reflection of the value we attach to academic work in our strange sense of job evaluation. Teachers naturally deserve the highest pay in the land, but today, the exact opposite is the case. For example, a chemistry graduate who decides (or is forced by circumstances) to teach in a public secondary school in Borno State will earn less than 15,000 naira monthly as salary. However, his/her classmate in NNPC will earn about 10 times that amount. By what criteria did we come to the conclusion that working in NNPC is more important than teaching in a primary or secondary school? More painfully illustrated, if today, a secondary school certificate holder joins the military, the police, road safety, the customs, the prisons service, immigration or even the civil defence, he/she will collect about 26,000 a month as a recruit, while his/her teacher (a graduate) will earn much less. Freshly commissioned graduates in the military and paramilitary services collect up to 70,000 naira.

Where is our sense of justice and reward? My neighbour who has been teaching in a primary school in Maiduguri for 16 years (i.e. since 1992) told me he earns 11,000 naira monthly. He is still a bachelor and has virtually nothing to show for all those long years of dedicated service. A fresh primary school teacher in the employ of Borno State government gets 4,000 naira as monthly salary. Headmasters earn between 12 and N13,000 per month. I am shocked to learn that regular teachers envy NCE holders collecting the token 10,000 naira monthly allowance from the Federal Teachers Scheme of the UBE. In Maiduguri, retired teachers had to go back to their relatives in the villages as renting a house, not to talk of building one, becomes a jidali. The stories are similar in other states of the federation.
The much-touted Teachers Salary Structure (TSS) represents only a paltry 27.5% increase, but even this has been a subject of long drawn-out negotiations and deliberate cynical delays on the part of the "unperturbed" government. And since the Federal Government has evasively handed over the matter to state governments, Nigerians should expect more academic upheavals because most state governors abhor any increase on the recurrent expenditure, not minding the fact that improving the welfare of teachers will dramatically (if not magically) improve the quality of education in their states. With the exception of teachers, all other professional groups in Nigeria enjoy special pay packages such as CONTISS, CONUASS, HAPSS, HAPMSS, etc. That is not to say that those groups are happy with their lots.

Teachers teach people how to enjoy life, but ironically,the teachers themselves dont enjoy it. A teacher I had met in Kaduna narrated to me the touching story of his encounter with a parent who wanted private extra lessons for his child. The teacher had expected a reasonable amount to supplement his meagre salary, but the unprintable amount the said parent offered was to say the least an insult to the dignity of the human person and an index of the contempt in which even parents hold teachers. At a point in our discussion, the terribly frustrated teacher did the unthinkable, obviously clutching at straws. He frontally accused two of the world's most venerable teachers; Mallam Aminu Kano and Shettima Ali Monguno of actively projecting and promoting the image of the teacher as a poor man! "Who wants poverty?" he lamented.

I can't tell if indeed the ascetic duo had glorified poverty among teachers, but I can infer from my reading of The Ink of the Scholar, authored by Alhaji Abdurrahman Mora and Peter Canham, that the attitude of policy-makers towards the material welfare of teachers seems to be derived from ancient Greek tradition where before the establishment of formal schools, education was considered so invaluable that it could not be exchanged for money, and "…a person who offered to teach people for money would have been despised as a mere trader". This Greek tradition has strongly influenced Islamic tradition of education up to the present day. (There are no school fees in the almajiri system!)Thus, from philosopher-kings, teachers have plummeted to "philopauper things". From prophets, heads of state, prime ministers, councillors and consultants to rulers, teachers have become outcasts. The late Sheikh Ahmad Abdulfathi had once said that no amount of money can be said to be too much to be paid to the teacher. He added that even if you ask a person to just look after your child while you go away to earn your livelihood, that person deserves a handsome reward, let alone somebody who imparts knowledge to your child. Imam Ali (R.A.) said, "I am a slave to the person who has taught me a single letter; if he likes, he can sell me, if he likes, he can set me free" or words to that effect.

In Nigeria today, the teacher is the slave. The teacher is a human being with needs and wants. In fact, being a repository of knowledge, he/she is a special specimen of Homo sapiens deserving of not only respect, prestige and care, but also a living wage and even more. Teaching is not a curse; it is a noble profession and a tertiary economic activity. Teachers are not slaves working in plantations. They are dedicated citizens giving their best to the society. Reward-in-heaven as the opium of the teacher should be de emphasised. Let us reward them in the here and now. They should live well to teach well.

Sociologists say a society functions well when it matches roles and talents, and rewards talents adequately. I hereby propose a minimum of 50,000 naira per month to a beginning primary school teacher. The argument by economists that salary increase by fiat will push up inflation still leaves unanswered the question of why the wide and wild salary differential between teachers and other professional groups.In the final analysis, the profile of all Nigerians, not only teachers, can only improve if and when our leaders shun corruption and deliver good governance and social justice.

Lest I forget, I invite all and sundry to also consider the class dimension of the plight of teachers. How many children of the elite can be found in the public schools today? I once overheard a commercial bus driver say, "We are slaves and our children will be slaves because we can't pay their school fees".

Monguno wrote from the Department of Political
Science, University of Maiduguri, ngumati.critic@yahoo.com.
Ghafurallahi lana wa lakum

Dan-Borno

none of the above is a direct statement from you Husnaa!
Kini Koni?
"My mama always used to tell me: 'If you can't find somethin' to live for, you best find somethin' to die for" - Tupak

gogannaka

It tallies with her opinion.

The issue is frustrating. In Kano the wives of the councillors were recommended to be given 50k/month for being councillors wives.
Surely after suffering comes enjoyment

HUSNAA

Quote from: Dan-Borno on August 21, 2008, 11:13:03 AM
none of the above is a direct statement from you Husnaa!
Kini Koni?
Says who? I wrote the first post after listening to the breakdown of the salary raise on DW radio.

Quote from: GGNK

It tallies with her opinion.

The issue is frustrating. In Kano the wives of the councillors were recommended to be given 50k/month for being councillors wives.

GGNK, Kyale DB. He is one of the benefiaries of the salary raise that is why he cant feel the way we do. >:(
Ghafurallahi lana wa lakum

Muhsin

Quote from: gogannaka on August 21, 2008, 02:40:33 PM
It tallies with her opinion.

The issue is frustrating. In Kano the wives of the councillors were recommended to be given 50k/month for being councillors wives.

Some weeks ago, I heard Sule Ya'u Sule, director press of the Gov. denying such sayings. He says that was just romour of the populace but nothing there is true.
Get to know [and remember] Allah in prosperity & He will know  [and remember] you in adversity.

HUSNAA

Quote from: gogannaka on August 21, 2008, 02:40:33 PM
It tallies with her opinion.

The issue is frustrating. In Kano the wives of the councillors were recommended to be given 50k/month for being councillors wives.

Yesterday, I heard that 'Yar Adua has tabled the suggestion of paying the wives of serving politicians a salary. So it is true after all. I tend to think Turai ce za taba shi wannan gurbatar ciyar shawarar.
Gwamnati na cewa bata da kudi. Ta kasa biya mallaman makarantar primary da secondary hakkokin su, amma it is toying with the idea of giving away money to ppl who are not contributing anything to the public and who indirectly through their husbands or wives (being political office appointees) enjoy the government's largesse anyway, because even the food expenditure of some of these top shots is paid for as allowances.
Ghafurallahi lana wa lakum

Dan-Borno

Su Husnaa government leftist, i am sure irin su Jibo Nura
will be in the first row to criticize this action of the govt.

what is wrong in paying the spouses of governor's and
other political office holders? they were at the forefront
during thr campaign days.  for e.g. in my state, mrs.
fatima ali sheriff gallantly campaigned in maiduguri metro-
politan and jere local govt. areas alone, because that
is where the concentration of women folk is higher and
they have come out enmass to vote during the election
because of the campaigns by mrs. sheriff.  so also the
other political office holders who have fought side by
side by their husbands, at least they deserved to be
recognised one way or the other.

how much will it cost the government vis-a-vis money
being lost in corruption?
"My mama always used to tell me: 'If you can't find somethin' to live for, you best find somethin' to die for" - Tupak

HUSNAA

DB Kana bani mamaki a wani lokutan! Everything is wrong with paying the wives of politicians a salary! If they were at the fore front of campaigning for their husbands it is becos they know that when their husbands become somebodies, they will be there right along by their sides as somebodies also by association. Isnt that enough? Koni nan if my husband was runnning for some office, I'd help him anyway I can since I know that samunsa samu na ne as well. But its taking it to a whole new level of corruption to expect to pay the spouses of politicians a salary simply for being their spouses. Now tell me, if like we have some governors whose wives are senators, then does that mean that the senator wife gets a second salary for being the wife of the gov and the gov also gets a second salary by virtue of his wife being a senator?
Look at it this way, if the government has this much money to play around with, why doesnt it remunerate its lower caliber civil servants who work ten times harder than the airconditioned politicians who sit on their fat asses chewing curd and warming the seats with methane gas emanatiing from their rears?

Ghafurallahi lana wa lakum

Dan-Borno

Quote from: HUSNAA on September 10, 2008, 11:18:41 PM
.............who sit on their fat asses chewing curd and warming the seats with methane gas emanatiing from their rears?

;D  ;D  ;D  ;D  ;D  ;D  ;D  ;D  ;D  ;D  ;D

:(  :( this is a serious defamation of character.
where is this forum's para-lawyer, lets see how
far you can go in this case?
"My mama always used to tell me: 'If you can't find somethin' to live for, you best find somethin' to die for" - Tupak

Muhsin

Politicians or particularly councillors wives need to be paid a special salary; for hardly a day pass without some 'yan maulas (entre their homes and) beg them of money. Thus, considering this, kind-hearted gov't decided to pay them so as to cater for this and other human daily endeavours, says one stalwart politician a Kowane Gauta. ;D

Is that justifiable enough or not?

Allah ya kyauta. 
Get to know [and remember] Allah in prosperity & He will know  [and remember] you in adversity.

gogannaka

I can't believe you guys are justifying this pay.
DB please idan wasa kake ya isa haka.

Muhsin, are you serious also.
Imliedly you are legitimising maula.
Surely after suffering comes enjoyment

HUSNAA

Quote from: Dan-Borno on September 10, 2008, 03:10:53 PM

how much will it cost the government vis-a-vis money
being lost in corruption?

that is money being lost in corruption if u dont know DB

Quote from: Muhsin
Politicians or particularly councillors wives need to be paid a special salary; for hardly a day pass some 'yan maulas (entre their homes and) beg them of money. Thus, considering this, kind-hearted gov't decided to pay them so as to cater for this and other human daily endeavours, says one stalwart politician a Kowane Gauta.

Wa yace su biye wa 'yan maula? abinda gwamnati tace ayi da kudin da za ayi wa talaka wa aiki kenan? Duk mai son biye wa yan maula yayi da ga cikin aljihun sa. Bayan haka ma in mutum ya tattara adadin kudin da yan maulan su ke ci kwata kwatan sa, bai kai rabin abin da su ciyamomi da kansiloli suke soke wa a cikin aljihunnan su ba.



Quote from: GGNKI can't believe you guys are justifying this pay.
DB please idan wasa kake ya isa haka.

DB is a diehard politician shi yasa yake kare misguided interests din yan siyasa
Ghafurallahi lana wa lakum

Muhsin

Quote from: Muhsin on September 11, 2008, 01:21:47 PM
Politicians or particularly councillors wives need to be paid a special salary; for hardly a day pass without some 'yan maulas (entre their homes and) beg them of money. Thus, considering this, kind-hearted gov't decided to pay them so as to cater for this and other human daily endeavours, says one stalwart politician a Kowane Gauta. ;D

Is that justifiable enough or not?

Allah ya kyauta. 

GGNK, kara karanta abunda na rubuta pls!
;D
Get to know [and remember] Allah in prosperity & He will know  [and remember] you in adversity.