Needed: A Part-time Legislature

It has been 15 years since Muhammadu Sanusi II, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and now reinstated Emir of Kano, exposed the financial drain caused by Nigeria’s National Assembly. Despite the passage of time, the controversy over the legislature’s exorbitant expenditures remains unresolved and shows no sign of abating anytime soon.

In 2010, Sanusi disclosed that the National Assembly’s spending accounted for 25% of the federal government’s overhead budget. Attempts by lawmakers to silence him were futile, collapsing like a house of cards. Today, the nation is once again embroiled in debates regarding the actual size of the salaries and allowances enjoyed by members of parliament.

The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), a government agency responsible for setting the salaries and allowances of public officials, appears to be at odds with a lawmaker over what Nigerian Senators truly earn.

According to RMAFC, each Senator receives a monthly salary and allowances totalling N1,063,860.00. The breakdown includes a basic salary of N168,866.70, motor vehicle fueling and maintenance allowance of N126,650, personal assistant allowance of N42,216.66, domestic staff allowance of N126,650, entertainment allowance of N50,660, utility allowance of N50,660, newspaper/periodicals allowance of N25,330, wardrobe allowance of N42,216.66, house maintenance allowance of N8,443.33, and constituency allowance of N422,166.66.

In addition to these regular payments, lawmakers receive a furniture allowance of N6 million and a severance gratuity of N6 million, paid once for every tenure they complete.

However, Senator Kawu Sumaila (NNPP, Kano South) recently told the BBC Hausa Service that each Senator receives a whopping N21 million as monthly running costs. Similarly, Kaduna-based civil society advocate and politician Senator Shehu Sani previously revealed that members of the 8th Senate took home a monthly sum of N13.5 million.

The discordant tune between RMAFC and Senator Sumaila highlights the urgent need for a thorough investigation into our lawmakers’ salaries and allowances.

Although the National Assembly, particularly the Senate, has disputed Sumaila’s figures, many Nigerians are more inclined to Kawu’s version than the Senate’s rebuttal. They doubt the Senate, and this scepticism stems from the serious trust deficit between the masses and the political class. It is increasingly difficult to discern when Nigerian politicians are being truthful, as deception seems to be the norm.

Jumbo Pay

Senators in Nigeria earn a minimum of N21 million monthly, including ‘running costs,’ while members of the House of Representatives take home N16 million every month.

With each Senator pocketing this colossal sum, Nigeria spends a minimum of N2.2 billion monthly on Senators alone. This figure represents the lowest estimate, as the Senate President, his deputy, and other principal officers of the Red Chamber receive even higher amounts than ordinary members.

This spending occurs at a time Nigerian citizens are grappling with severe economic challenges. An estimated 63% of the population, approximately 133 million people, are considered multi-dimensionally poor in a country with an unemployment rate of 33%.

Nigerians are enduring a deteriorating security situation, skyrocketing living costs, food scarcity, and rising prices of essential goods and services. Yet, the government deemed it fit to allocate such enormous sums to lawmakers.

Late last year, the government faced widespread backlash when it spent a staggering N60 billion on 465 Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and bulletproof cars for principal officials and members of the National Assembly. Despite public outcry, the government purchased these vehicles while urging citizens to exercise patience amid the excruciating hardships caused by poorly conceived policies.

Most Nigerians believe there is no justification for such expenditure on the lawmakers because their imports are rarely being felt. We are talking about lawmakers who embark on investigations upon investigations, the reports of which are left to gather dust. These lawmakers allocate to themselves humongous sums in the budget under the guise of constituency projects that hardly get executed. No, there is no need to spend such a huge amount on the legislature, especially when subnational governments debate whether or not to pay civil servants a paltry N70,000 minimum wage.

A Look Beyond Nigeria

Nigerian lawmakers are not faring badly compared to their counterparts in other African countries, earning N21 million monthly. In many African nations, lawmakers’ basic salaries are relatively modest, but the allowances—often covering housing, transportation, newspapers, fueling, and constituency expenses—significantly inflate their overall earnings.

For instance, in South Africa, the Speaker of Parliament earns an annual salary of R3,164,654, while the Deputy Speaker takes home R2,215,220 annually. The Chief Whip of the majority party earns R1,792,595, and a member of the National Assembly receives R1,274,536 annually.

In Kenya, the Leader of the Majority Party and his counterpart in the Minority Party each earn KES 784,768 (USD 6,037) monthly. This figure includes a basic salary of KES 470,861 (USD 3,622), a housing allowance of KES 150,000 (USD 1,154), an official commuter allowance, and a salary market adjustment of KES 163,907 (USD 1,260).

A member of Kenya’s National Assembly or Senate takes home KES 725,502 (USD 5,580) monthly, comprising a basic salary of KES 435,301 (USD 3,349), a housing allowance of KES 150,000 (USD 1,154), an official commuter allowance, and a salary market adjustment of KES 140,201 (USD 1,079).

In Ghana, the Speaker of Parliament earns GH¢35,021 monthly, while the First Deputy Speaker and the Majority Leader earn GH¢33,270 each. The Minority Leader receives GH¢32,832 monthly, the Deputy Majority Leader is paid GH¢31,519, and the Deputy Minority Leader earns GH¢31,081. Other Members of Parliament are paid GH¢28,017 monthly. These salaries do not include other benefits such as accommodation, transportation, and sitting allowances for attending parliamentary sessions or committee meetings.

Easy Route To Wealth

In Nigeria, politics is often seen as a shortcut from poverty to extreme wealth. While public office is meant to be a platform for service, in Africa, it has become an opportunity for self-enrichment. Public office holders, along with their families and friends, often benefit extravagantly from the perks of office, while the general public, whom they are supposed to serve, languishes in poverty.

Cutting Costs

No amount of rhetoric can obscure the fact that the National Assembly is feasting on the nation’s resources. The country’s severe economic challenges and dwindling government revenue make it imperative to address this issue urgently.

One potential solution is to experiment with a part-time legislature whereby lawmakers would earn sitting allowances instead of the current exorbitant monthly salaries and allowances. A part-time national and state legislature would significantly reduce costs in line with the much-needed austerity measures. It is high time Nigeria discarded the parliamentary system that operates a full-time legislature.