The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has recently approved an increase in the salaries of elected politicians by 114 percent.
News About Nigeria understands that this increase applies to various political officeholders, including the President, Vice President, Governors, lawmakers, as well as judicial and public office holders.
As mandated by its role, the RMAFC is responsible for determining appropriate remuneration for political officeholders, including the President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Ministers, Commissioners, Special Advisers, Legislators, and other relevant positions mentioned in Sections 84 and 124 of the Constitution.
The commission has called upon the 36 states’ Houses of Assembly to expedite the amendment of relevant laws to accommodate the upward review of remuneration packages for political, judicial, and public officers.
During the presentation of the reviewed remuneration package reports to Kebbi State governor, Dr Nasir Idris, the RMAFC Chairman, Muhammadu Shehu, represented by federal commissioner Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, emphasized that the implementation of the reviewed remuneration packages would take effect from January 1, 2023.
This move aligns with the provisions outlined in paragraph 32(d) of part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Government, as amended.
It is important to note that the approval of the salary increase includes notable figures such as Tinubu and Shettima, alongside other elected politicians at various levels of government. The decision to raise their salaries is expected to have a significant impact on their financial well-being and overall remuneration package.
Shehu said, “It empowers the revenue mobilisation, allocation and fiscal commission to determine the remuneration appropriate for political office holders, including the president, vice-president, governors, deputy governors, ministers, commissioners, special advisers, legislators and the holders of the offices mentioned in sections 84 and 124 of the constitution of the federal government.
“Sixteen years after the last review, it is imperative that the remuneration packages for the categories of the office holders mentioned in relevant sections of the 1999 constitution (as amended) should be reviewed.
“Pursuant to the above, your excellency may please recall that on Wednesday, 1st February 2023, the commission held a one-day zonal public hearing on the review of the remuneration package simultaneously in all the six (6) geo-political zones of the country. The aim of the exercise was to harvest inputs/ideas from a broad spectrum of stakeholders.”
He said the commission had objectively and subjectively reviewed the salary packages in the reports, adding that it adheres to the rules of equity and fairness, risk and responsibilities, and national order of precedence among others.
“The subjective criteria reflected the various expression by stakeholders through memoranda received, opinion expressed during the zonal public hearings and responses to questionnaires administered.
“The objectives of the criteria were obtained from analysis of macro-economic variables particularly the Consumer Price Index (CPI),” he noted.
The chairman added that the commission was also guided by some principles, including equity and fairness; risk and responsibilities; national order of precedence; motivation and tenure of office.
Shehu said that having considered the impact of the review on the economy, the remuneration of the political, public and judicial office holders in the country was adjusted “upward by 114%.”
The chairman explained that with respect to the judicial office holders, the commission considered the introduction of three new allowances.
He listed the allowances to include, “Professional Development Assistant: This is to allow for the provision of two law clerks to all judicial officers in the country.
“Long Service Allowance: This is to guarantee seniority/hierarchy between officers who have been on the bench for a minimum of five years and those that are appointed newly.
“Restricted or Forced Lifestyle: This is to take care of the nature of the lifestyle of judicial officers while in active service.”
