RMAFC Clarifies Salaries and Allowances of National Assembly Members
In a statement signed by its chairman, Mohammad Shehu, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has cleared the air on the salaries and allowances being paid to members of the National Assembly. The clarification has become imperative to address the ongoing national discourse on the matter.
According to Shehu, the issue has continued to occupy the front burner of national discussion, especially among elder statesmen, public affairs commentators, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and the media. He cited a report by a former senator, Shehu Sani, who claimed that each senator collects a monthly running cost of N13.5 million in addition to the monthly N750, 000 prescribed by the commission.
RMAFC clarified that senators receive a monthly salary and allowances totaling N1,063,860, consisting of a basic salary of N168,866, motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance allowance of N126,650, personal assistant of N42,216, domestic staff of N126,650, entertainment of N50,660, utilities of N50,660, newspapers and periodicals of N25,330, wardrobe of N42,216.66, house maintenance of N8,443.33, and constituency allowance of N422,166.
The commission emphasized that some allowances are regular, while others are non-regular. Regular allowances are paid with basic salary, while non-regular allowances are paid as at when due. For instance, furniture allowance and severance gratuity are paid once in every tenure, while vehicle allowance is optional and requires repayment before leaving office.
RMAFC also stated that, with the exception of a few political and public office holders, all public and legislative officers are no longer provided with housing, as was the case in the past. The commission urged Nigerians to access the actual details of the present remuneration package for political, public, and judicial office holders in Nigeria, which is published on its website.
This clarification aims to avoid misinformation and misrepresentation of facts capable of misleading citizens and members of the international community.
