LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)—The Finance, Economic Planning and Development Minister Goodall Gondwe has strongly snubbed Member of Parliament’s (MPs) 70 percent pay hike demand.
Gondwe argues that the treasury is too broke to meet the lawmakers’ demands considering the economic turmoil the nation is going through.
He disclosed that legislators will only get 10 % pay hike like what civil servants have gotten.
The MPs demand comes barely two weeks after the national assembly passed the 2017/2018 fiscal plan whose wage bill is higher than anticipated
“Government doesn’t have money to meet such demands. The country is currently going through economic challenges. MPs will get 10% pay rise like any other civil servant,” said Gondwe.
Social-economic commentators have questioned the timing of MPs demand considering abject poverty in the country.
The pay hike demands come despite the lawmakers receiving over MK1 million plus 500 litres of fuel to each one of them and MK50 000 sitting allowance per day when the National Assembly is meeting or during parliamentary committee meetings.
Ministry of Local Government has meanwhile approved a 25 percent salary increment demand by Lilongwe City Council employees, the pay which will be released next week.