When RMAFC embarked on the review of remuneration of the top of the public service it asked the beneficiaries to say which factors should be taken into account and what weight should be assigned to each factor in determining the rate of increase in the subsisting salaries.
The factors identified were inflation, exchange rate, growth of the economy and political factors. The response from the various groups of the beneficiaries are collated and published in RMAFC and reproduced below:
(a) Federal Level
Stakeholder Inflation Rate Exchange Rate Growth of the Economy Political Factors Total
Federal Executives 31.7 16.6 50.1 1.6 100
National Assembly 35.6 15.6 42.0 6.8 100
Federal Judiciary 30.1 12.9 50.4 6.6 100
Average 32.5 15.0 47.5 5.0 100
Source: RMAFC Field Survey, 2006
(b) State and Local Government Levels
Stakeholder Inflation Rate Exchange Rate Growth of the Economy Political Factors Total
State Executives 32.2 12.6 48.2 7.0 100
State Legislatures 30.3 21.2 41.4 7.1 100
State Judiciary 32.7 10.1 51.0 6.2 100
Local Government Councils 51.0 9.4 22.6 17.0 100
Average 36.6 13.3 40.8 9.3 100
Source: RMAFC Field Survey, 2006
In the second stage, RMAFC asked same beneficiaries if they supported an increase of 100%, 200% or 300% to their basic salaries. The responses were collated and published by RMAFC and reproduced below:
(c) Federal Level
stakeholders Increase by 100% Increase by 200% Increase by 300% Total
Federal Executives 10.0 22.7 67.3 100.0
National Assembly 2.4 21.6 76.0 100.0
Federal Judiciary 5.1 20.3 74.60 100.0
Average 5.8 21.5 72.6 100.0
Source: RMAFC Field Survey, 2006
(d) State and Local Government Levels
Stakeholder Increase by 100% Increase by 200% Increase by 300% Total
State Executives 16.6 25.1 58.3 100
State Legislatures 7.8 28.0 64.2 100
State Judiciary 10.1 24.3 65.6 100
Local Government Councils 13.8 21.9 64.9 100
Average 12.1 24.8 63.3 100
Source: RMAFC Field Survey, 2006
Eventually RMAFC awarded the beneficiaries a little less than 200% in basic salaries.
From the foregoing, the attitude of our leaders in the last two decades or so but particularly since the return to civilian rule in 1999, no doubt, contrasts sharply with those of the past leaders. The President then used to earn £7150, which he inherited from the colonial era and fixed since April 1953 and remained the same until January 1966; the Prime Minister was on £5,000 fixed since the office was created in 1957, but in 1962 his salary was reduced to £4500 and remained on that salary until he was murdered in January 1966. A Minister at the Federal or Regional Level was on a salary of £3000, fixed since 1954 but this as reduced to £2700 and remained as such until January 1966. A regional Premier earned £4000 fixed in 1954 when the office was created but was reduced to £3600 in 1962.
Leadership by Example
Those were the good old days in the past, when authentic Statesmen led the nation at the centre and the regions, and rules and regulations were respected and proper procedure was strictly adhered to in the conduct of Government business, the country witnessed the best specimen of leadership by example.
First Republic politicians were leaders who sincerely believed in, and faithfully practiced the best tenets of democracy; and were always guided in all they did by the public interest.
They played their politics with a passion, formulated their policies for the public good and believed they had a sacred mission to lead their societies on to the path of growth and political, social and economic development. And to achieve this they were ready to go to any length, perform any task, offer any sacrifice in order to ensure a higher standard of living for their people.
While they were partisan politicians they still led governments that were inclusive and blind to people’s politics and they tolerated and worked amicably well with the opposition. For them partisanship ended with the elections, and governments formed were for all the people. While the majority had its way, the minority had its say—and it was always listened to.
In their control and management of public resources the leaders were accountable to the last penny; because, with the system that they had put in place and jealously guarded, they perhaps couldn’t have been otherwise.
The best type of leadership is one that is exercised by example; and, in general, there is little doubt that politicians of the First Republic led this nation by the power of their example. Their conduct in government and even out of it made it ever so clear that they were not in politics for what they could get out of it: theirs was a commitment to making life better for the people.
A very good sign of their commitment to the public good, their public spiritedness and readiness for self sacrifice was the comparatively low level of pay they fixed for themselves, which they didn’t hesitate to further reduce when the situation demandeded. For instance, throughout the duration of the First Republic the Secretary to the Prime Minister earned £3540, a salary that was more than that of any Minister; and in general, a Minister marginally earned £60 per annum more than a Permanent Secretary. And there were at least three heads of professional departments and a Permanent Secretary (Finance) who earned £3180, that is, £180 more than any Minister.
This was the situation before 1962. In 1962, the salary of each political office holder was reduced by 10% thus the salary of the Minister was reduced by 10% to £2700 but the salary of the Permanent Secretary remained unchanged at £2940 per annum.
And nowhere was the readiness of the political leaders to sacrifice more in evidence than in 1962, when the First National Development Plan (1962-1968) was launched. Almost immediately after launching, it became clear that the plan could not be implemented fully if government revenues were not increased and recurrent expenditure drastically cut.
Accordingly, the government introduced austerity measures, and, in addition to that, decided to cut the salaries of all politicians in government by 10% across the board, from the prime Minister down to those officers earning as low as £400 per annum, and abolished their allowances. But, pointedly, these measures didn’t affect civil servants, because, according to the Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello:
“with regard to the civil servants their salaries and some of the allowances are part of their conditions of service, and although the Regional Government has the power to cut arbitrarily the salaries and allowances of its employees,… as a model employer it would be wrong for the government to cut arbitrarily without consultation with them through the normal channels”.
But it was not only on this issue that First Republic politicians led by example. They were also exemplars of democratic virtues. The following incidences in the life of the Sardauna shed light on how they played their politics and how they scrupulously separated politics from governance.
(a) Concern for the welfare of others, particularly Civil Servants
Dr. RAB Dikko the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health requested for the use of the Northern Communication Flight to fly a sick health officer from Idda. Unfortunately, the only plane operating at the time had been booked for the Premier, for 10am the following day.
As secretary to the Executive Council, Chief Sunday Awoniyi controlled and authorized the use of Communication Flight. Finding himself in a difficult situation with little choice, he approached the Premier and informed him that a higher priority of use of the plane had arisen for conveyance of a sick officer. The Premier agreed and ordered his car to be got ready for his own journey while the plane was put at the disposal of the Ministry of Health for their sick officer.
The officer was brought from Idda to Kano, to be flown abroad but died in Kano before he could be flown out. The Premier, on later reflection on the turn of events, profoundly thanked Awoniyi for asking him to give up the plane for the use of the deceased officer.
(b) Pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia
On a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, the Premier used to pay all expenses for himself and those he sponsored from his own resources. He also paid customs duties on any goods he brought on which were subject to customs duties. On one occasion, the customs officer charged him customs duty of £26.10s which he promptly paid by his Bank of the North personal cheque. However, in a subsequent correspondence, the Customs Office refunded the cheque with an apology because the Sardauna’s goods had been over assessed by £1. A new demand of £25.10s was made on him and replacing cheque of £25.10s was issued.
To be continued
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