The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has formally commenced a nationwide review of remuneration packages for political, public and judicial office-holders.
This decision, announced in a statement released from Abuja by Maryam Yusuf, Head of Information and Public Relations at the Commission, marks the beginning of a series of deliberate steps towards reform in line with constitutional provisions.
At a retreat held in Kano, the Chairman of RMAFC’s Remuneration and Monetisation Committee, Mohammed Usman, affirmed that the initiative is instrumental to the advancement of Nigeria’s governance structure.
According to him, “The effort is also a significant move towards the implementation of one of the commission’s core mandates.”
Usman noted that the 1999 Constitution, as amended, legally empowers RMAFC to determine appropriate salaries for political, public and judicial office-holders at all tiers of government.
He revealed that the President currently receives ₦1.5 million per month, while ministers earn less than ₦1 million, figures that have remained unchanged since 2008, rendering them outdated.
He further explained that the review process is not solely concerned with numerical adjustments but also with ensuring sustainability and affordability.
The Commission has drawn upon a wide range of inputs, including memoranda from key stakeholders, public hearings, ministerial submissions, economic indicators, and comparative remuneration data from other countries.
Moreover, it has assessed government capacity to implement the proposed adjustments in order to develop fair, realistic and sustainable recommendations.
However, the initiative has prompted strong public discourse and criticism.
Peter Obi, presidential aspirant, condemned the proposal as “a shameless grab for more at the expense of Nigeria’s struggling majority,” warning that it exposes a growing divide between leaders and the populace.
In a statement signed by Labour Party’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Tony Akeni, the party described the move as “an insult to the intelligence of Nigerians,” further insisting that the remuneration figures quoted for the President and ministers are misleading.
Hamzat Lawal, founder of Follow the Money, appeared on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday and denounced the proposal as misplaced, politically risky, and insensitive.
He urged that, rather than seeking pay increases, political office-holders who feel under-compensated should resign and join the private sector.
He questioned the timing of the proposal, citing President Tinubu’s call for national austerity.
“I think this is even a setup for the President,” he said. “Why would you want to make a decision that would make the leadership of the country so unpopular? Tinubu said that we must tighten our belts; this is the time for sacrifice. So, why is it that the political office holders don’t want to also sacrifice? Why is it that it is the citizens who should carry this burden alone?”
Under Section 124 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), salaries for governors, deputy governors, auditors-general, and members of key state commissions must not exceed amounts determined by RMAFC.
These must also be enacted into law by state legislatures, a requirement that has sometimes been overlooked, leading to lapses in compliance at state and local government levels.
While RMAFC has made multiple attempts to revise remuneration packages over the years, including efforts in 2015, 2019, and as recently as April 2023, these efforts frequently stalled.
Notably, a review of judicial office-holder remuneration was passed into law and assented by the President in August 2024.
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