114% salary hike for president, VP, govs, others a proposal – RMAFC

The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has said the 114 per cent increase in the salaries of elected politicians, including the president, vice president, governors, lawmakers as well as judicial and public office holders is still a proposal.

RMAFC said this while reacting to issues which trailed its upward review of salaries of public office holders.

RMAFC chairman, Muhammadu Shehu, represented by a federal commissioner, Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, had presented reports of the reviewed remuneration package to Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, on Tuesday.

Shehu was reported to have urged the 36 states’ Houses of Assembly to hasten efforts on amendment of relevant laws to give room for upward review of remuneration packages for political, judicial and public officers.

He said 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.

RMAFC is saddled with the responsibility of determining the appropriate remuneration for political officeholders including the president, vice president, governors, deputy governors, ministers, commissioners, special advisers, legislators and the holders of the offices as mentioned in sections 84 and 124 of the constitution.

The proposal, which was developed during ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure, needs the approval of 2/3 of states assemblies before it is presented to the President for assent.

However, reacting to the development over the phone, the Public Relations Officer of RMAFC, Christian Chukwu, explained that the commission only begun the review process in February.

“The truth of the matter is that the review is just like what we do in the revenue allocation formula, it takes some process. We had a general public hearing which took place in February and the story flying is that it took place in January 2023. How can it take effect in January when we started the process in February?

“The process involves sending it to the president after the review. The president will forward it to the National Assembly, the National Assembly after deliberation will now send it back to the president for assent then it becomes law.

“Therefore, the process has not been completed contrary to reports. You will hear from the RMFAC when it is completed, but for now, we are still in the process of reviewing the salary structure,” Chukwu said.