Despite the unabating level of poverty ravaging the country, a recent report by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari, his Vice President Yemi Osibanjo as well the state governors and their deputies receive over N600 million as hardship allowance.
According to the report, the said amount covers the last eight years of their administration.
It was gathered that this type of allowance, which is 50 per cent of the annual basic salary, is also enjoyed by judges in Nigeria.
A document obtained by Truth Live News on the website of the RMAFC which showed a breakdown of the renumeration received by politicians, public and judicial Office holders indicated that the president receives N1,171,568:20 while his vice receives N1,515,786:25 as hardship allowance annually.
In the same vein, the governor is entitled to N1.11m annually, a deputy state governor is entitled to N1.06m.
From the analysis, the hardship allowance of the 36 state governors and their deputies in the last eight years would have gulped N624.96 million.
Recall that their have been outcries from different Nigerians on the amount of hardship the current administration has subjected Nigerians to especially with the hike in insecurity, dollar exchange rate, fuel price, poor workers renumeration failed industries among other factors.
Reacting to the situation recently, the National Treasurer of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Hakeem Ambali, said that the outgoing regime had inflicted heavy hardship and suffering on the Nigerian workers.
Ambali said the workers have suffered job losses, insecurity, economic hardship and other calamities under Buhari.
Ambali, who is also the President of the National Union of Local Government Employees, noted that, “Under Buhari’s administration, just like every other successive administration, we have witnessed so many losses of jobs. Some governors laid off so many workers in the North, East and West. There has been a loss of lives as a result of banditry and kidnapping.
“As for today from my union, the National Union of Local Government Employees, we reside and work within the remote part of the country; any attack on government installations and infrastructure affect our people. Most of them were kidnapped in Kaduna.
“Also, one will realise that the road network is so poor. The erratic power supply has also reduced chances of Nigerians getting their daily living.’’