Ndume asks Buhari to slash lawmakers’ salaries by half to settle ASUU
Senator Ali Ndume (APC-Borno South) has called for a 50 per cent slash of federal lawmakers’ salaries to meet the pressing demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Mr Ndume made the call while reacting to the alleged half pay for the academic staff in Maiduguri on Thursday. He advised President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime to constitute a high-powered standing committee of respected educationists and patriotic Nigerians to meet with the ASUU leadership to address lingering burning issues.
“Even if it means that the National Assembly will reduce sitting allowances or be paid on casual allowances basis whenever they sit at the lower and upper chambers, by cutting the recurrent expenditure in the budget of the federal lawmakers to settle the ASUU arrears, let it be. It will be in the overall national interest of Nigerians,” the legislator explained.
Mr Ndume noted that the lawmakers only “assemble twice or so per week and get paid.” He also pointed out that the Buhari regime paid civil servants who worked from home during the COVID-19 pandemic full salaries and allowances monthly.
“So why will the federal government cut university lecturers’ salaries because they went on legitimate strike, which constitutionally, they are fighting for their rights and privileges?” he reasoned. “As a matter of priority and as a public servant in the legislative chambers, we don’t work, so why don’t you just give us half salary and then pay ASUU?”
He urged the Buhari regime to resolve the issue “once and for all, even if they have to borrow or make supplementary budgets.”
Mr Ndume added, “We are budgeting N20.5 trillion for 2023. I don’t see any reason why the government will not budget N1 trillion to address the lingering challenges of the education sector, including ASUU strikes.”
(NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
States
Olubadan lauds Tinubu on release of Oriire kidnap victims, urges rehabilitation
“As a follow-up to this development, the government must ensure that all communities bordering the National Park are fully secure,” he said.
Heading 1
Iran’s new supreme leader vows revenge over father’s assassination by U.S.-Israeli forces
“We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraced killers,” he said.
Heading 4
Trump administration subpoenas New York Times journalists over Air Force One story
The subpoenas seek to compel the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan.
Heading 2
Klopp agrees to replace Nagelsmann as Germany coach
Nagelsmann resigned last week as the men’s national team coach following Germany’s shocking exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Health
FG expands cancer funding, local drug production
“We are trying to domesticate expensive treatments by producing much-needed medicines locally and translating global research into action in our clinics,” he said.
Heading 3
Remi Tinubu begs Asake, Davido, Burna Boy to come rescue poor Nigerians from hunger
The first lady stated that buying exotic cars is good, but noted that the singers can still establish foundations to assist the struggling population.
