Cleric advocates drastic cut in political leaders’ jumbo pay

Abdullahi AbdulHameed, the Chief lmam of lmale in llorin, has called for drastic cut in the jumbo salaries of elected political office holders.

He said leaders’ salaries ought to reflect the current state of Nigeria’s economic situation, as majority of Nigerians were groaning under high level of poverty.

AbdulHameed spoke in llorin on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to mark the first day of Muharram, Hijrah 1440 (the new lslamic year).

According to the cleric, the pay of political office holders should reflect the current realities, stressing that jumbo salaries is responsible for the high rate of poverty in the country.

He noted that reduction of the salaries taken by politicians in both the executive and legislative arms would go a long way to tackling mass poverty in the country.

“As the nation marks new lslamic year, our political leaders should learn how to make sacrifices.

“What political leaders are taking home is too much, especially the lawmakers; this situation cannot eradicate or reduce poverty in Nigeria, ” AbdulHameed said.

The cleric stressed that salaries and allowances of lawmakers are taking large chunk from the nation’s resources that can be channelled to developmental projects that will positively touch lives of ordinary citizens.

The state chapter of the National Hijrah Ummratul lslamiyah has concluded arrangements to perform several activities to celebrate the first Muharram including march past by students in schools.