Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) says 50 and 30 percent pay cut of political appointees and legislators respectively is a welcome development but not enough to address the current economic crisis in the state.
The party also suggest that they should be placed on same salary scale with civil servants.
The party insisted that the contract system must be cancelled and replaced with public work, noting that the state’s fund must be subjected to democratic management and control of the elected representatives of the working people.
This was contained in a statement by the party’s secretary, Comrade Ayodeji Adigun, on Tuesday in reaction to the address of the state governor, Seyi Makinde, on the Workers’ Day.
According to the statement, “the attention of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) Oyo State chapter has been drawn to the address credited to Governor Seyi Makinde which was delivered at the secretariat of the Oyo State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) during the commemoration of this year edition of the international workers’ day.
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“The governor was quoted to have declared a 50% and 30% cut in the salaries of state’s executive appointees and legislators respectively.
“This was claimed to be a measure to mitigate the effect of the decline in the state monthly allocation following the decline in the international prices of crude oil triggered by the global outbreak of COVID-19.
“Other relevant comments credited to the governor in the above stated address was the commitment that his regime will not reduce and tamper with the salary of the state civil servants but continue to pay it on the 25th of every month. The SPN welcomes the two commitments made by the governor and urge him not to renege on them.
“As far as we are concerned in SPN, it will be unfair and inhuman if any attempt is made whether now or in the future to slash the salary of the civil servants in the state under the pretence of any kind of economic crisis. Already, between the month of February 2020, when the Engr Seyi Makinde-led government finally agreed to commence the implementation of the new minimum wage of N30,000 and now, the value of salary received by the civil servants in the state has been grossly eroded by the combination of recent hike in inflation and the decision of the CBN to devalue naira.
“Therefore, if Engineer Seyi Makinde-led government is so serious about its commitment to mitigate the effect of the economic crisis and ensure that the salaries of the civil servants in the state are intact and paid promptly, it must be ready to make far reaching steps beyond mere pay cut of its political appointees and legislators.”
