The Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC says agitation over review of emoluments of political office holders and appointees gave the National Assembly grounds to fashion overheads and other entitlements for their aides.
Chairman of the Commission, Mohammed Shehu, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja said Nigerians constant criticisms of its efforts at reviewing the emoluments of the President and other office holders cleared the way for the legislators to craft packages and other benefits for their aides.
Shehu argued that political office holders were grossly underpaid compared to heads of agencies, which,he noted fuels corruption and undermines performance.
He called for public support in reviewing and raising official salaries to reasonable levels,while faulting a situation where heads of agencies earn far more than the President or even the Attorney General of the Federation.
He said ‘People like to make insinuations and mischief over it. Simply because you occupy an office and get a little salary, people accept that you can be as corrupt as you want to be, but when it comes to official salary, anytime you say you want to look at review, people start shouting: “It’s too much! How much is it? How many ministers do we have? How many legislators?”
Shehu pointed out ,’Because of this, you now have the Senate and the House of Representatives crafting overheads and other things for themselve,s salaries of their aides, allowances, packages.’
‘So it’s about time that people like you, and others, should support the commission to come up with reasonable living salaries for ministers, DGs, and the president. You are paying the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1.5 million naira a month, the president of a country with over 200 million people.That’s what you pay him. Everybody believes that it’s a joke. This was set in 2007, 2008, and since that time, it has not been reviewed’.
The chairman argued ‘You cannot pay a minister less than one million naira per month. Since 2008, their salaries have not increased, and yet you expect them to put in their best without necessarily being involved in other things. So I will want your support, and the support of your people.’
‘Let’s face it, it is really sickening. I have said it over and over again: you pay a CBN governor or a DG of NPA or NCC ten times what you pay the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is just not right. Or you pay them twenty times higher than the Attorney General of the Federation that is absolutely not right.’
On minimum wage for workers, he said the Commission cannot intervene as its constitutional duty is limited to political office holders and appointees, pointing out that except the remuneration of workers is reverted to the agency,it can only limit itself to its constitutional mandate of emoluments of political office holders.
‘For those of you who are not aware, it is part of the constitutional responsibilities of the commission to come up with acceptable remuneration for political, as well as legislative and judicial office holders. Now, the commission did that of the judiciary last year, together with Mr. President and the National Assembly.
He noted’The major controversy has always been about other political office holders. But I have always said we have debated this, you cannot pay a minister less than one million naira per month. Since 2008, their salaries have not increased, and yet you expect them to put in their best without necessarily being involved in other things.’
The Chairman pointed out ‘I can tell you, the commission is coming out with another report on the emoluments of political office holders: governors, senators, legislators, ministers, directors-general, and others. It’s not that the commission despises Nigerian workers, but it is not the responsibility of the commission to take care of minimum wage and the salaries of other workers’.
Shehu appealed to stakeholders to support the Commission,’ when we come out with a report, please support us, and you know, we are still asking if the previous report can be implemented, the Salaries and Wages Commission can then come back to the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, and we will do justice to Nigerian workers appropriately.We have to find the money to pay individuals a living wage.’
He concluded that better remuneration, effective use of funds, public transport, free primary/secondary education, and stronger local governments are key to national progress.
