Niger Delta Ex-Militants Threaten To Restart Hostilities Over Lawmakers’ Jumbo Wages

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has threatened to resume hostilities in the region in protest of the huge salaries and allowances of federal lawmakers.

Last week, media reports had alleged that federal lawmakers would receive N9 billion wardrobe allowance this week. But Bukola Saraki, senate president, refuted the reports, stating that each lawmaker would only get a wardrobe allowance of N506, 600 per annum in line with the stipulation of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

But Mend looks dissatisfied with the clarification and its spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, according to the an online news medium, TheCable, has threatened fire and brimstone.

“These wicked individuals appropriate to themselves huge and absurd salaries and allowances at the expense of the millions of hapless Nigerians, who have not been paid for months, their salaries, pensions and other benefits they deserve,” Gbomo said.

“The Niger Delta region, where the bulk of revenue that sustains the nation comes from, continues to suffer neglect, environmental degradation and lack, made worse by the very corrupt and visionless past government of Goodluck Jonathan and his cronies, some of who still shamelessly parade themselves on national television and other media platforms as ‘Niger Delta Activists’.

“Nigerians refuse to tolerate this ostentatious lifestyle of our lawmakers, whose main objective, it seems, is to enrich themselves and carelessly spend scarce resources.

“The Niger Delta people refuse to pamper and cater for the needs of these thieving Assembly rogues to their detriment. “If the lawmakers refuse to make the necessary adjustments needed to accompany the needs of the masses and the Niger Delta region, it may lead to the resumption of hostilities.”

Source:
ThisDay Newspaper