Senator from Borno state Ali Ndume has once again taken a swipe at the bogus salary and allowance paid to members of Nigeria’s National Assembly saying the legislators were earning too much to the detriment of the Nigerian masses.

Ndume who is also the Senate committee chairman on Army was reacting to the Vice President’s weekend comments that Nigeria was at the moment running a very expensive government system.

The Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo had in the comment said there was no question that Nigeria is dealing with a large and expensive government, but given the current constitutional structure, those who would have to vote to reduce (the size of) government, especially to become part-time legislators, are the very legislators themselves.

According to Ndume, “We have a budget of N10tn and only 30 per cent is going to the majority, whereas 70 per cent will be spent on a few minority. The system we are practising now is not fair either morally or socially.

“In the current system, workers are not being paid living wages, whereas a privileged few are earning luxury wages. The National Assembly members, including me, for instance, are paid luxury wages.

“How can we live comfortably when only a few of us are living a life of luxury while the majority are living in abject poverty? The N30,000 minimum wage is too small; it can make workers engage in corruption in order to survive.”

The National Assembly had always been criticized for the bogus salary and allowances its members receive, making them one of the highest paid legislators in the world.