Amid the ongoing rumour that there is a proposed increment in the Salary of Nigeria President, Governors, Senators and Judges, The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) revealed that the National Assembly ought to amend the relevant laws to allow for the commencement of the implementation of the reviewed remuneration packages for political, public and judicial officers.
In short, a significant boost in wages for public office holders is imminent with enough encouragement.
Muhammadu Bello Shehu, RMAFC’s chairman, spoke on behalf of the commission through a presentation of the reports of the reviewed remuneration package to Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi on Monday. RMAFC’s position went viral on Wednesday.
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Egalitarian Voice Media has looked through RMAFC’s database to see the remuneration packages public officials currently benefit from.
As with most Nigerian commissions, the data available was not up to date. RMAFC uploaded the previously reviewed remuneration packages for public office holders dated 2007-2009 in 2020.
”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,” Shehu said on Monday.
WHAT THE PRESIDENT AND HIS VICE EARN
The president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Vice President earn just over a million naira each, according to RMAFC’s 2020 document.
Nigeria’s president’s monthly salary is at least N1,171,568:20, from his basic salary and a couple of allowances made public. This gives the president an annual salary of N14,058,820.
The Vice President’s monthly salary is at least N1,010,524:16 and an annual N12,126,290.
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These figures are representative of the minimum amounts both public office holders get. The document from RMAFC listed 17 allowances but made the payment for only four public. Duty tour allowances, estacode allowances or medical allowances are given whenever applicable.
The President and Vice President receive accommodation allowances yearly. They receive furniture allowances every four years, while they receive unwritten monthly allowances for fuelling vehicles, newspapers, utilities, entertainment and domestic staff.
SENATE PRESIDENT AND SPEAKER
On paper, the Senate President and Deputy Senate President earn more than the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to RMAFC’s remuneration sheet, the Senate President and Deputy Senate President receive double salaries. They receive separate salaries for being in the senate and for leading the senate.
The Senate President’s monthly salary is N724,570:72, which is N8,694,848:75 annually, while the Deputy Senate President receives N673,507.00 monthly, reaching N8,082,083:65 in 12 months. They both receive a monthly salary of N1,063,860 as senators.
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Only constituency allowances were made public, meaning that the legislators could go home with more than what RMAFC’s paper shows.
In the lower legislative chamber, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker receive N412,851:66 and N381,172:40 as monthly salaries respectively. They both receive an additional N794,086:83 monthly for being members of the House of Representatives.
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GOVERNORS
Just like the President, the salaries of governors on RMAFC’s document are a summation of the basic salaries and a few allowances made public.
Each governor receives at least N648,580:62 monthly salary, summed up from the basic salary, hardship allowance and consistency allowance. The governor’s annual salary is N7,782,967:50.
Other allowances are listed but their values aren’t published. They receive an accommodation allowance yearly. They receive furniture allowance every four years, while they receive unwritten monthly allowances for fuelling vehicles, newspapers, utilities, entertainment and domestic staff.
The deputy governors receive at least N616,062:69 monthly salary. Their annual salary is N7,392,752:50.
MINISTERS, DIRECTORS, PERMANENT SECRETARIES, JUDGES
Muhammadu Bello Shehu, RMAFC’s chairman
According to the RMAFC, ministers and cabinet members, such as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, earn at least N650,136:65 every month, while ministers of state get N628,056:91.
Directors and commissioners of agencies such as INEC get N617,881:68, while special assistants such as speech writers receive N590,957:81 monthly. Permanent secretaries go home with the same amount as directors and commissioners.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN)’s monthly salary is a minimum N560,662:16, excluding allowances with values not made public.
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The justices of the Supreme Court and the President of the Court of Appeal receive at least N560,662:16 monthly salary. Justices of the Court of Appeal and the chiefs of respective high courts receive N731,657:66 as monthly salaries.
While these figures may not be up to date, they capture the barest minimum Nigerian public office holders received as remuneration packages as of 2020. An upward review in these remuneration packages will obviously increase the government’s operational cost across all arms and levels of government.
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