Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo and his ministers faced a virulent media attack on Friday after their incredibly high salaries were publicly announced for the first time.
Officials on Wednesday declared that Gbagbo would receive a monthly salary of 9,5-million CFA francs ($14 590).
Salaries of ministers range between four and seven million CFA francs.
This is the first time that the salary of the head of state is being made public since the west African country’s independence from France in 1960.
On May 29, Gbagbo said in a television interview that he had not been paid since he came to power towards the end of 2000. Although he did not attribute a reason, it is widely felt that empty coffers were responsible for this.
The independent Le Front daily said Gbagbo’s pay was ”a scandalous amount for a poor country.”
Ivory Coast’s financial health is improving now with international donors and financial institutions resuming aid that was snapped due to poor governance and an ensuing coup in December 1999.
”Huge salaries for the good-for-nothings,” screamed the Nouveau Reveil, close to the formerly dominant Democratic Party of Ivory Coast.
It warned that the ”state coffers will be empty before 2005,” when Gbagbo’s term ends.
Even the Notre Voie newspaper, which is close to the government, termed the move a ”break with the old order”.
The independent Le Jour daily said the declaration of salaries did not ”answer the queries of the average man who feels neglected.”
And 24 heures pointed out that ”Gbagbo is better paid than Chirac.”
La Bombe deplored the fact that despite a ”negative growth rate, the salaries of ministers have been inflated.”
Le Patriote newspaper, close to the main opposition Rally of Republicans party said the president’s salary was ”273 times the minimum guaranteed wage,” and denounced the fact that top officials were enriching themselves under the ”cloak of legality.” – Sapa-AFP