Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has called for elected officials, including governors, to receive no more than the minimum wage in order to empathize with the financial challenges faced by ordinary Nigerian workers.
Speaking at a special edition of The Platform organized by The Covenant Nation to foster national development, Soludo criticized the extravagant lifestyles often associated with government officials amidst Nigeria’s severe economic crisis.
He highlighted that these extravagant expenditures contribute significantly to the nation’s financial woes, perpetuating a cycle where the wealth of the country is not equitably distributed for the benefit of all citizens.
Soludo’s remarks underscore a growing sentiment among the public regarding fiscal responsibility and accountability in government.
His call for elected officials to experience the minimum wage firsthand aims to bridge the gap between the leadership and the governed, fostering a deeper understanding of the economic challenges faced by the majority of Nigerians.
Soludo said, “Let’s come clean and straight with Nigerians. Nigeria is very poor and broke but the lifestyle of government and government officials does not show it, especially with the obscene flamboyance in public display. The poor are hungry and impatient, let’s not annoy them more with our insensitivity.
“In this case, I agree with the reverend father Mbaka, who said elected governors should also earn minimum wage. I agree that we should be paid so that we can feel that as well.
“In Anambra, I have not received a kobo as salary since I assumed office. I have donated my salary to the state.
“It is symbolic. It is not much. I think generally, the system is in denial. There must be some signalling, it is just the symbolism of this.
Calling on his colleagues and other elected officials to cut wasteful spending, Soludo said: “That is why I proposed reinventing the new code of conduct for public officers. For the federal government, the actual projected revenue comes to about N6,160 per Nigerian, per month.
“For the states, except Lagos and a few states, most states have revenues amounting to less than N3,000 per resident, per month.
“It is from these shares per citizen that we are expected to provide all the infrastructure, debt service, pay salaries and pensions, build schools, and provide everything.
“For each of our wasteful spending, let’s be conscious of how many citizens share that we are squandering. Once we lose this consciousness about the public trust we bear, society dies irredeemably.”
The governor’s stance reflects ongoing discussions about income inequality and the need for governance reforms to ensure equitable distribution of resources and promote sustainable economic growth in Nigeria.