The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has come out with the implication of the 100 percent increase in the emoluments of legislators and local government chairpersons and councillors, stating that workers, who are suffering erosion of the value of their income demand higher margins of salary increase than politicians.

NLC President, Abdulwahed Ibrahim Omar, who made this known to newsmen in Lagos, while reacting to new pay package for legislators, equally said the increase would add to the already bloated cost of maintaining public office-holders, which now constitute a huge drain on the development process.

He said, "In advanced and emerging democracies, selfless service is the operative philosophy in the compensation of parliamentarians and other political office-holders.

"The reverse is unfortunately the case in Nigeria, as political office holders insist on living lavish lifestyles and in magnificent opulence at the expense of the resources that should have been invested in improving the lives of the people".

The increase, according to Omar, has distorted the relativity that had historically existed between the salaries of elected office-holders and public employees

He said "We strongly believe that political office-holders should appreciate the imperative of sacrifice and altruistic service rather than continue to make huge financial demands, which undermine the development process".

"The NLC insists that the prevailing adverse economic circumstances in the country exert even more serious negative impact on workers", he maintained.

Omar, who argued that there is the need to adjust the salaries of public employees, noted that given Nigeria's current level of development and the need to ensure prudent use of resources, the nation can ill-afford the massive cost of running government, much of which go into the allowances of office holders.

He said the NLC is concerned by the high margins of the frequent increases in the emoluments of political office holders by the Federal Government.