FG Plan To Raise Politicians Pay Sparks Anger From University Workers

The Federal Government’s plan to increase the salaries of political office holders has drawn sharp criticism from the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

The proposal, prepared by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, has been described by the union as unfair to Nigerian workers who continue to battle rising costs of living with little pay.

The union’s president, Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, said the decision to consider a raise for politicians shows disregard for civil servants who keep the economy running. He argued that the government should direct such resources toward building roads, fixing power supply, and improving public services instead of adding more to the earnings of politicians who already enjoy many privileges.

He explained that the political class consumes a large portion of the nation’s resources, while workers remain poorly rewarded. According to him, many political office holders earn tens of millions of naira every month, while the minimum wage is not enough to cover basic needs like food and rent.

Ibrahim described how politicians benefit from free housing, fuel, electricity, water, and security, while civil servants struggle to provide these for themselves. He pointed out that in countries like Ghana, Rwanda, South Africa, and even across Europe, leaders do not enjoy the kind of pay and benefits given to Nigerian politicians.

He stressed that workers are the ones who face poor road networks, high transportation costs, weak healthcare, and the burden of school fees, yet their efforts are not matched with fair pay. He said the proposal is coming at a time when Nigerians are spending more on food and transport and when electricity and fuel costs are beyond reach for many households.

The SSANU president noted that labour unions would not ignore the situation if the government goes ahead with the plan. He explained that the unions would meet, review the situation, and take action to protect the interests of workers across the country.

He concluded that those who deserve better wages are civil servants and other workers who spend long hours each day sustaining the economy, not politicians who work fewer hours but continue to receive large sums and enjoy benefits funded by the state.