The Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Finance Committee (RMAFC) has explained why it recommended a 114 per cent increase in the basic salaries of public officials.
RMAFC Federal Commissioner, Hassan Mohammed Usman explained that the wage review had been going on since 2007 but for some reason, it has not been completed.
Usman said this in an interview with Arise TV on Thursday:
“This is to say that, for 15 years, the salaries for the political, judicial and public office holders have not been reviewed.”
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According to him, the report was based on a scientific increase in the consumer price index of 371 per cent between 2008 and 2022.
The RMAFC Federal Commissioner said:
“We engaged in public hearings, we went to all geopolitical zones, we had consultations with the stakeholders, the government and the private sector, hearing and harnessing views on what increment within these years.
“These indices, the public hearing, which is subjective, and then the scientific one, the consumer price index, which is objective were combined, aggregated and it ran up to over 200 per cent.
“So, based on that, the view of the economic situation in the country, we aggregated the two and we arrived at 114 per cent.”
Recall that the committee urged the Houses of Representatives of 36 states to fast-track legislative changes that would allow upward pressure on the compensation packages of political, judicial and public officials.
RMAFC Chairman Muhammadu Shehu, represented by Federal Commissioner Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba had made the call while presenting the revised salary package report to the Governor of Kebbia State, Dr Nasir Idris on Tuesday at Burning Kebbi.
Tanko-Ayuna had said the review pay package was implemented from January 1, 2023, adding that the transition was in line with Part 1, Schedule 3, Clause 32(d) of the Federal Government Constitution 1999 (as amended).
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He stated that the last pay review was in 2007 and pointed to the final outcome of the Holders of Certain Political, Public and Judicial Offices (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2008.
Shehu 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.
“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.
“Pursuant to the above, your excellency may please recall that on Wednesday, 1st February, 2023, the commission held a one-day zonal public hearing on the review of the remuneration package simultaneously in all the six (6) geo-political zones of the country. The aim of the exercise was to harvest inputs/ideas from a broad spectrum of stakeholders.”
The committee conducted an objective and subjective review of the remuneration package in the report, Shehu said, adding that it was in line with the rules of fairness, equity, risk, responsibility, and national priorities.
