Rochas says he has never collected a penny as salary since he became a senator as everything goes to charity

FORMER Imo State governor Rochas Okorocha has declared that he is yet to receive one penny in the form of salary since he was elected as the lawmaker representing Imo West Senatorial District in 2019.

Senator Okorocha who governed Imo State between 2011 and 2019, was elected into the senate at the last elections. Highly controversial, Senator Okorocha, who has been involved in a bitter spat with the current governor over properties he is alleged to have appropriated, claims that he is a philanthropist who did now draw salaries from state coffers during his eight years as governor.

Speaking while interacting with members of Nigeria Union of Journalists in Abuja, Senator Okorocha denied knowledge of how much senators receive as basic salary or allowances every month. He added that the management of the National Assembly had his approval from the beginning of his tenure to channel his monthly salaries and other allowances into charitable causes.

Senator Okorocha said: “I have never received salary as a senator and even as a governor of Imo State, I didn’t draw a penny for the years I spent. I hate public funds and one thing about public funds is that, if you don’t work for it, don’t collect it because it has spiritual implications.

“I don’t know how much a senator earns but I think the basic salary is around N2m and the allowance is around N3m for housing, then transportation and other allowances put together are around N10m or N11m. But truly speaking, can the N3m for housing allowance pay for the rent of a senator? Except if you want them to go and live in Maraba and Nyanya.

“I have advocated that we reduce the numbers of senators and reps members but they said no, so, if we must have these numbers of lawmakers in Nigeria, then we should be able to carter for their welfare also.”