Labour Fumes as RMAFC Propose Hikes in Politicians’ Salaries

The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission has recommended an upward review in the basic salaries of Political and Judicial office holders.

The Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Muhammadu Shehu, who was represented by the RMAFC Commissioner from Kebbi State, Mrs Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, disclosed this on Tuesday in Birnin Kebbi, during the presentation of the reviewed remuneration package of Political and Judicial office holders to the State Governor, Dr Nasir Idris.

Commenting on the proposed salary increase, the organised Labour described it as provocative because of the fuel subsidy removal pain Nigerians were going through. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday, reported that the reviewed salary required Legislation by the National and State assemblies before its implementation.

According to NAN, the Commission stated that the last review was done in 2007, which led to the 2008 Act on the remuneration of political office holders. It stated, “The commission, having considered that the consumer price index of some selected baskets of commodities have collectively grown by an average of 371% from 2008 to 2022, the current annual basic salary of all categories of Political, public and Judicial office holders in the country is adjusted upward by 114 per cent”.

The Agency disclosed that it recommended that existing allowances of Political office holders be maintained, while three new allowances were introduced for Judicial office holders. These include allowances for a professional development assistant, a long service allowance, and a restricted lifestyle allowance.

The Commission explained that the reviewed remuneration packages required “Legislation by the National Assembly’’ for beneficiaries at the federal level and the Federal Capital Territory, while the review for those in States and local Governments would need Legislative backing by State assemblies.

It admitted that the review would lead to an increase in personnel cost of Government at all levels, adding that the remuneration packages were inputs from workshops it held on February 1.

The Commission further explained that the review was in line with the provision of Paragraph 32(d) of Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Government (as amended).

It 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.”

It said the last review of the remuneration was carried out in 2007, which culminated in the “Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) (Amendment) Act, 2008.

Commenting on the NAN report, the RMAFC Public Relations Officer, Christian Nwachukwu, in an interview with a correspondent, said the rate of the salary increase had not been fixed.