Mr. Mohammed Shehu, the chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), has recently dispelled the notion that members of the National Assembly receive inflated salaries. Instead, he clarified that they are allocated statutory office running costs.
This revelation came as Mr. Shehu emphasised that there would be no immediate increase in the salaries of the country’s political officeholders.
He went on to explain: “The amounts that some people perceive as extravagant earnings for lawmakers are, in fact, designated for covering the operational expenses associated with running their offices. In many other societies, legislators are not directly responsible for these expenses because there is a structured system in place.”
Mr. Shehu further elaborated:”When a legislator is elected, they need to establish this structure, which encompasses their constituency office, computer equipment, logistics, and the workforce they employ. It is the responsibility of the National Assembly Service Commission to manage and fund these aspects.”
The chairman emphasised that the decision to delay the review of public officers’ salaries was influenced by the current economic challenges facing the country. He also noted that the last salary review had taken place in 2007 and that political officeholders do not receive the extravagant emoluments that have been speculated by the Nigerian public.
Additionally, he addressed recent reports suggesting a potential 114 percent pay increase for political and judicial officers in the country, stating, “Since 2008, there has been no salary review, contrary to the circulating information.”
“During the previous year, a group of concerned activists initiated legal action against the federal government, specifically regarding the salaries of judicial officers.
In the courtroom, the presiding judge issued a ruling stipulating that a judge’s monthly compensation should amount to approximately N10 million, as per the court’s decision.”
He continued:”We, as Nigerians, understand the importance of addressing the concerns about reviewing the salaries of political officeholders. However, we recognise that the current challenges facing the government demand careful consideration.”
Concluding his statement, he noted: “As a commission, we are committed to fulfilling our responsibilities, but the timing of such actions will be determined by the prevailing circumstances. When the conditions are conducive, we will present our findings to the stakeholders for their input and decision-making.”
