86% of Nigerians oppose legislators’ jumbo pay – Survey

An overwhelming majority of Nigerians are opposed to the huge salaries and allowances currently being earned by members of the National Assembly, according to the November edition of the monthly Snap Poll conducted by NOI Polls.

The organisation said on Sunday that the poll also revealed that a significant proportion of Nigerians were very much aware of the controversial remuneration which the media has labelled ‘jumbo pay.’

Specifically, 88 per cent of respondents in the survey said they objected to the payment of huge amounts to members of the National Assembly. Respondents were asked the question, ‘Have you heard about the recent controversy regarding the earnings of National Assembly members?’ Seventy-nine per cent answered ‘Yes’ while 20 epr cent said ‘No.’

The findings followed the disagreement between the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, and the National Assembly over the actual percentage of the national overhead devoted to servicing the National Assembly. The senators had objected to Sanusi’s statement that a quarter of the country’s overhead costs were spent on the National Assembly, a claim from which the Central Bank governor has refused to back down.

The findings suggested that beyond the specific issue of the National Assembly’s exact budgetary provision, there was widespread dissatisfaction in the country regarding the excessive remuneration paid to members of the National Assembly.
Source:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20101220339510