Labour fumes as RMFAC hikes politicians’ salaries

The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission has advocated for an increase in the basic pay for those holding judicial and political office.

Alhaji Muhammadu Shehu, the commission’s chairman, made this announcement on Tuesday in Birnin Kebbi while presenting the state governor, Dr. Nasir Idris, with the updated compensation packages for those holding political and judicial office. Shehu was represented at the event by RMAFC commissioner from Kebbi State, Mrs. Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba.

The organised labour described the proposed salary increase as provocative in response to the hardship that Nigerians were experiencing as a result of the removal of fuel subsidies.

According to a report published on Wednesday by the News Agency of Nigeria, the national and state assemblies had to pass legislation before the revised salary could be put into effect.

The 2008 Act on the compensation of political office holders was the result of the commission’s assertion that the most recent review was completed in 2007, according to NAN.

According to the statement, “The commission, having considered that the consumer price index of some selected commodity baskets have collectively grown by an average of 371% from 2008 to 2022, the current annual basic salary of all categories of political, public, and judicial office holders in the country is adjusted upward by 114%.”

The agency disclosed that it had recommended maintaining the current allowances for those holding political office while introducing three new allowances for those holding judicial office.

These include a restricted lifestyle allowance, a long service allowance, and allowances for a professional development assistant.

legislative support

According to the commission, beneficiaries in the federal government and the Federal Capital Territory needed “legislation by the National Assembly” to approve the reviewed compensation packages, whereas state assemblies would need to pass legislation to approve the reviews for beneficiaries in local and state governments.

It acknowledged that the review would increase the cost of hiring staff at all levels of government, and added that the compensation packages were based on input from workshops it held on February 1.

The review was in accordance with the clause of Paragraph 32(d) of Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Government (as amended), the commission continued.

It stated: “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.”

The “Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) (Amendment) Act, 2008” was the result of the most recent review of the compensation, according to the statement.

“The Remuneration Packages for the categories of office holders mentioned in pertinent Sections of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) must be reviewed immediately, sixteen years after the last review.

“In accordance with the foregoing, Your Excellency may kindly keep in mind that on February 1, 2023, the Commission held a one-day zonal public hearing on the review of the remuneration package simultaneously in all six (6) geo-political zones of the nation.

The exercise aimed to collect ideas or input from a wide range of stakeholders.

The RMAFC Public Relations Officer, Christian Nwachukwu, however, stated in an interview with one of our correspondents that the rate of the salary increase had not yet been determined in response to the NAN report.

Not yet a fixed rate

He said, “Although we have taken some action, there is no real information on that (the rate) because it needs to be forwarded. We cannot estimate a percentage at this time. I’m not informed of that.

In response to media reports that the commission had approved raising the salaries of those in judicial, public, and political office by 114%, he said this.

The RMAFC Chairman refused to provide any additional information, simply telling our correspondent that he was out of the country when we contacted him.

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria noted on Wednesday that the salary review would anger Nigerians.

Vice-President of the TUC Tommy Etim said, “The increment is such that will provoke Nigerians seeing as how Nigerians are already groaning under the effect of the subsidy removal among others,” in response to our correspondent’s questions on the subject. The TUC has consistently demanded a decrease in the cost of governance. If they still go ahead with it, though, we’ll take advantage of the chance to propose additional allowances for Nigerians.

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, on the other hand, called the suggested 114% pay increase for elected politicians provocative and insensitive.

The report is provocative and insensitive, according to Dr. Anderson Ezeibe, the national president of the union, who spoke with our correspondent in Abuja. In a nation where the working class has been writhing in excruciating economic pain, it is challenging to understand the government’s justification for such a move.

“While the government and the staff unions in the tertiary education sector have been negotiating a wage increase since 2017 and the government has shown little interest in the process, the same government is busy giving itself such a pay rise.

“The citizens are still experiencing the negative effects of the elimination of the PMS subsidy, the increase in electricity prices, and the consequent effects on their wellbeing, only to witness such a “reward” that can only promote opulence and oppression by the political class.