Why We Recommended 114% Salary Increase For Political Office Holders – RMAFC

 

The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has opened up on why it recommended increase in the basic salary of public office holders by 114 per cent.

 

Federal commissioner of the RMAFC, Hassan Mohammed Usman said the reason is because the remuneration review had been due since 2007, but has not been done for some reasons.

 

Usman stated this while speaking in an interview on Arise Television on Thursday.

 

He stated, “This is to say that, for 15 years, the salaries for the political, judicial and public office holders have not been reviewed.”

 

According to Usman, the review was premised on the fact that the consumer price index, from the year 2008 to 2022, has increased scientifically by 371 per cent. 

 

The RMAFC federal commissioner said, “We engaged in public hearings, we went to all geopolitical zones, we had consultations with the stakeholders, the government and the private sector, hearing and harnessing views on what increment within these years. 

“So, based on that, the view of the economic situation in the country, we aggregated the two and we arrived at 114 per cent,” he said. 

 

Recall that the commission had 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.

 

The RMAFC Chairman, Muhammadu Shehu, represented by a federal commissioner, Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, made the call at the presentation of reports of the reviewed remuneration package to Kebbi State governor, Dr Nasir Idris, on Tuesday in Birnin Kebbi.

 

He said the implementation of the reviewed remuneration packages was effective from January 1, 2023, adding that the move was in accordance with the provision of paragraph 32(d) of part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 constitution of the federal government (as amended).

 

He said the last remuneration review was conducted in 2007, noting that it culminated in the “certain political, public and judicial office holders (salaries and allowances, etc) (Amendment) Act, 2008.”

 

Shehu 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.

 

He said the commission had objectively and subjectively reviewed the salary packages in the reports, adding that it adheres to the rules of equity and fairness, risk and responsibilities, and national order of precedence among others.