Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said his salary and that of President Muhammadu Buhari are not “fantastic”.

Osinbajo spoke while declaring open a seminar titled, “Journalists and Retirement Plan,” organised by the State House Press Corps at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

What he said:

He said remunerations were generally poor in the country, but that of journalists is unique.

He said publishers refuse to pay them well despite making money.

He added that while he “earns about N1.5m as Vice-President, Buhari earns about N1.75m,” which, he said “are not fantastic wages anyway.”

“Generally speaking, people are poorly paid, so there is a need to look at why people are poorly paid.

“Public sector earnings must be looked at and what should be paid and what is right for people to earn should be determined,” he said.

Why Osinbajo is wrong:

The President and Vice-president are both entitled to many other bonuses and packages outside the basic salary.

Osinbajo’s comparison with the remuneration of ordinary Nigerians who are not entitled to bonuses except their meagre salaries is not reasonable.

A basic salary of N1.75m for the President who is a public official is fantastic.

Azeez