The Federal Government has been enjoined to redistribute wealth throughout the country in order to eliminate the current grinding poverty.
The appeal was made by a faith-based human rights advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), in a statement on Monday by its Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola.
MURIC lamented the growing trend of extensive poverty among the working class caused by alarmingly poor salaries amid fat and disproportionate remuneration for the political class.
The group said further: “There is growing restlessness among the Nigerian working class. University lecturers under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have threatened to go on strike. In the same vein, resident doctors have given government notice of a strike. Similarly, hospital nurses have just resumed from a warning strike today, Monday, 15th September, 2025.
“In the face of this gloomy socio-economic scenario, the Federal Government (FG) is reportedly considering increment in the earnings of politicians (https://lagostelevision.com/2025/08/19/fg-considers-pay-raise-for-political-office-holders/).
“Apart from an army of unemployed graduates, the condition of the working class in Nigeria is pitiable. The take-home-pay of the proletariat cannot take him home. Market prices which hit the roof more than a year ago are now up in the skies, aiming at Jupiter. Inflation rate was 21.88 as at July 2025.
“There is widespread hunger and starvation in the country. The North is bleeding. The South is barely surviving. Strangulated and suffocated, the jamaahiir at the bottom of the pyramid of poverty can hardly breathe.
“While we appreciate the ongoing economic reform launched by the FG, we call for immediate reordering of the sharing pattern of our common patrimony. Only an equitable and proportionate readjustment of the salaries of workers and politicians can stem the current tide and bring about socio-economic justice.
“We also appeal to FG to reconsider its attempt to increase the wages of politicians when, already, a senator allegedly earns a whooping N21 million monthly compared to a professor’s meager monthly salary of N633,333.
“This sad development has caused brain drain in the universities. Exempli gratia, 239 first class lecturers left the University of Lagos (Unilag) in the last seven years over poor pay.
“Medical doctors and nurses are leaving the country in droves. At least 50 doctors leave Nigeria weekly, according to VANGUARD.
“MURIC laments the growing trend of extensive poverty and abject penury among the working class caused by alarmingly poor salaries amid fat, humongous and disproportionate remuneration for the political class.
“Nigeria’s lawmakers and other public office holders are already overpaid, overfed and overpampered. Their salaries should not be increased further. On the contrary, it is the working class who have been overworked, overtaxed but underpaid whose salaries should be increased, and promptly too.”
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