The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has shed light on the remuneration package of lawmakers in Nigeria.
According to a statement by its chairman, Mohammad Shehu, lawmakers receive a furniture allowance of N6,079,200 and severance gratuity of N6,079,200 once every tenure.
Shehu stated that lawmakers are also entitled to a vehicle allowance of N8,105,600, which is a loan expected to be repaid before they leave office.
He explained that the issue of lawmakers’ allowances has been a topic of national discourse, with some elder statesmen, public affairs commentators, civil society organizations, and the media weighing in.
RMAFC’s chairman addressed the claim made by former senator Shehu Sani that each senator collects a monthly running cost of N13.5 million, in addition to the monthly N750,000 prescribed by the commission.
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He stressed that RMAFC does not have the constitutional powers to enforce compliance with the proper implementation of the remuneration package. However, he added that the National Assembly is addressing this lacuna.
Furthermore, he broke down the monthly entitlements of senators, which total N1,063,860, including basic salary, motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance allowance, personal assistant, domestic staff, entertainment, utilities, newspapers/periodicals, wardrobe, house maintenance, and constituency allowance.
The RMAFC chairman elaborated that some allowances are regular, while others are non-regular, and that regular allowances are paid with basic salary, while non-regular allowances are paid when due.
Explaining further, he revealed that except for a few political and public office holders, housing is no longer provided for public and legislative officers.
Shehu encouraged Nigerians to access the actual details of the present remuneration package for political, public, and judicial office holders in Nigeria on the RMAFC website to avoid misinformation and misrepresentation of facts.
