A member of the House of Representatives, Rep Philip Shaibu (APC Edo) representing Estako Federal Constituency in Edo state, has declared that he cannot afford to cut down his own salary or allowances while commending the salary cut of 50 per cent by President Muhammadu Buhari and his vice Yemi Osinbajo.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Hon Shuaibu also said that the declaration of assets by politicians will also help reduce the over burden of demands from the people who voted them into office.
“The only aspect I will not support Mr. President is that as an executive man he has reduced his salary by 50 per cent, that is for him, I’m not ready to reduce my salary by 50 per cent.
“I do not have other facilities I need to sustain my constituency, so if you are asking me as a lawmaker to reduce my salary to follow the line of Mr. President I’m not ready to do that because even my salary and the level of demands with the way past administrations have impoverished my people, it cannot even sustain me, until the institutions get working, I don’t think the issue of salary and what the members earn should become an issue.
“For me, it will assist politicians and also assist those that vote the people in so that at the end of the day, the over burden of demands will not get to a level where you look elsewhere to meet up those demands, I think it is important for all of us not to declare in line with the constitution but to make it public just like Mr. President has done, “he said.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker said that National Assembly needed to add the clause in the law pertaining asset declaration that every political office holder must make their assets public.
“Officially, all of us have declared our asset, there is what is called beginning of tenure and end of tenure and without you declaring these assets you cannot be sworn in whether as President or as Governor or as a legislator.
“The difference of what has been on and now is now we have everything declared officially and released to the public that is just the difference. I can assure that the APC government, we are determined to lead by example, we are not ready to be like the past government.
“80 per cent of us have declared our assets; most of us will make it public and because the constitution does not specify that after declaring you make it public, I think what the National Assembly needs to do is adding that clause.
“With the freedom of information these documents can be completely made official, it is important that the people know your worth and when you are leaving they also know your worth. I think when the people know your worth they will demand less from you and when they know you are rich they demand more from you, “the lawmaker said.