By Ayodele Oni
After waiting for almost 15 years, it is hope rekindled for political office holders and judicial officers as Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) announced possible increase in their remuneration.
The commission raised the hope that it has concluded arrangements to start the process of reviewing the packages for political, public and judicial office holders in the country.
Chairman of the Commission, Mohammed Bello Shehu, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum, (NGF) Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State in his office in Abuja.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Mohammed Bello pointed out that pursuant to the functions of RMAFC in paragraph 32(D) of part 1 to the third schedule of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, empowers the commission to determine the remuneration appropriate to political, Public and Judicial office holders in the country.
He revealed that the last time the review was carried out was 2008, which makes it even overdue for review.
The RMAFC boss lamented what he described as the poor remuneration of public, political and judicial office holders which has exposed them to corrupt tendencies.
“The salary of members of the House is even worse, but because they claim they are independent they packaged all sorts of allowances.
“There is a need for that review. I have seen a magistrate that earns N150,000 a month. That is a magistrate, somebody who passes judgement.
“Ask around, it will shock you, they are all over Nigeria, they don’t have housing, they don’t have transportation, they have very difficult conditions of service.
“I think it’s about time this is reviewed for national good because we have to be able to take care of judicial officers apart from the ministers and permanent secretaries.”
He reiterated that the review is long overdue saying “We have a middle level worker in NNPC, in CBN who earns more that a judge, that’s the reality. In some places like the NCC, no one even knows. Anybody working in NCC will never disclose their salary to you.
“The salary of a serving minister is N500,000, housing allowance is 200 percent of the basic. I know of a Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, when he left, his gratuity was N500 million. That is a life time pension”.
The RMAFC boss promised to produce a fair and credible remuneration for the affected officers.
Those whose remuneration will be affected and earn: The President N14,058,820 per annum (p.a.); the Vice President N12,126,290p.a.; Ministers, SGF, HoS, Chairmen of Constitutional bodies N7,801,640:00 p.a.; Ministers of State and members of Constitutional bodies N7,536,683 p.a.; Special Advisers including speech writers N7,091,493p.a. Special Advisers including speech writers N7,091,493p.a.
“These figures are the annual basic salaries of these office holders excluding their entitled allowances like accommodation, furniture, duty tour allowance, estacode, medicals, severance gratuity, leave and motor vehicle loan.”
The annual basic salary and regular allowances like vehicle fueling and maintenance, Special assistant, Personal assistant, domestic staff, entertainment, utility, security, monitoring and newspapers for Director-General/Auditor General, Permanent Secretaries, Accountant General/Executive Secretaries/Chief Executives of Parastatals, Agencies and Government Companies, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners is N7,414,580:25.
The annual basic salary and regular allowances of the Chief Justice of Nigeria is N6,727,944:99; Justices of the Supreme Court/President, Court of Appeal is N10,899,284; The Senate President N8,694,848:75; Deputy Senate President N8,082,083:65; Senator N12,766,320:00; Speaker House of Representatives N4,954,220:00; Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives N4,574,068:50; Members, House of Representatives N9,529,038:06; State Governors N7,782,967:50 and Deputy Governors.
In his speech, Governor Tambuwal congratulated Bello Shehu on his new appointment as RMAFC Chairman while pointing out that the commission, as one of the constitutional bodies in the country, has been underfunded over the years.
This, he said, has made it difficult for the Commission to function properly in monitoring all the revenue accruals into and from the revenue account noting that the Commission should rather be funded on a first line charge.
“This will possibly help the commission go into digital monitoring and tracking of all accruable revenues into the Federation account thereby increasing revenues for sharing among the three tiers of government.”
Governor Tambuwal further lauded the readiness of RMAFC to commence the process for the review of remuneration exercise, while pointing out that the salaries of judges in the country, particularly is one of the least in Public service.
 announced possible increase in their remuneration. He said: “The salary of a serving minister is N500,000, housing allowance is 200 percent of the basic. I know of a Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, when he left, his gratuity was N500 million.”){kind=link}