President Muhammadu Buhari is set to swear-in his 43 new ministers on Wednesday, August 21, and for the next four years, their welfare is expected to cost the nation about N2.53 billion. 

According to a report by Vanguard, each minister is expected to get N58.766 million in four years and is expected to get higher if estacode and allowances for foreign and local duty trips were added. 

Each minister is reportedly entitled to estacode allowance of $900 per night and a N8.106 million refundable vehicle loan.

They are also entitled to furniture allowance of N6.079 million which is paid once in four years and severance package of N6.079 million, totalling N12.158 million. The furniture allowance will be paid shortly after their swearing in. 

Other highlights of the emoluments include: "Estacode Allowance ($900 per night); utilities allowance (telephone/electricity/water) –30 per cent of annual basic salary (N607,920); domestic staff allowance, 75 per cent of annual basic salary, N1,519,800; newspaper allowance, 15 per cent of annual basic salary, N303,960; duty tour allowance, N35,000 per night; furniture allowance, 300 per cent of basic salary, N6,079,200; severance allowance, 300 per cent of annual basic salary, N6,079,200; 

“Others are accommodation allowance, 200 per cent of annual basic salary, N4,052,800; motor vehicle fuelling maintenance allowance, 75 per cent of annual basic salary, N1,519,800; leave allowance, 10 per cent of basic salary, N202,640; personal assistant allowance, 25 per cent of basic salary, N506,600; entertainment allowance, N607,920; Monitoring Allowance, N303,960; and Motor Vehicle Loan, N8,105,600.

“The severance package is payable after full tenure of office with government. The allowance will be pro-rated after a minimum of two years in office. In his reaction, Issa Aremu, who is the general secretary of National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria faulted the payment. 

He said: “What is good for the ministers and even the leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, is even more desirable for working people. Workers need living wages too not just minimum wage.”

 Legit.ng earlier reported that that barely few hours after the release of ministerial list by Buhari, the battle allegedly shifted to the struggle for portfolios by nominees and their godfathers.

 This is reportedly because the president did not attach the list of ministries to be managed by the ministerial nominees. 

Published On : 19-08-2019

Source : Legit