FG confirms plans to increase Tinubu, Shetimma’s…emoluments
*Raising minimum wage for poor workers should come first – Shehu Sani
The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) is planning an upward salaries review for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kasim Shettima, governors, judiciary officers and other political office holders, a plan criticised by Senator Shehu Sani, who said that raising the minimum wage for poor workers should come first.
RMAFC is saddled with the responsibility of determining the remuneration appropriate for political officeholders including the President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Ministers, Commissioners, Special Advisers, Legislators and the holders of the offices as mentioned in Sections 84 and 124 of this Constitution.
The commission 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.
Shehu’s statement comes amid speculations that Tinubu, Shettima, governors, judges and other political persons’ salaries had been increased by 114 per cent.
He 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.”
Shehu said the last review of the remuneration was carried out in 2007, which culminated in the “Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2008.
“Sixteen years after the last review, it is imperative that the Remuneration Packages for the categories of the office holders mentioned in relevant Sections of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) should be reviewed,” he added.
But a former Kaduna lawmaker, Senator Sani, said raising the minimum wage for poor workers should come first.
He stated, “Raising the minimum wage of poor workers should come first before that of the elites holding public offices.
“With this 114% increase, a Federal Legislator will earn about N2million monthly salary and N25million monthly running cost for his office. Money derived from the removal of subsidy should be spent wisely,” he added.
