*I Earn N21million In Allowances, N1m Monthly Salary, Counters Kano Senator
THE Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has clarified that contrary to figures being bandied around, each senator receives a monthly salary and allowances of N1,063,860, including for entertainment and constituency allowances.
In a statement issued by the Commission’s Chairman, Mr. M. B. Shehu, and published on the X page of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, on Tuesday, August 13, the Commission, ostensibly in reaction to comments attributed to a former senator, Mr. Shehu Sani, that “each senator collects a monthly running cost of N13.5million, in addition to the monthly N750,000 prescribed by the Commission,” Shehu explained that at the moment, RMAFC does not have the constitutional power to enforce compliance with the proper implementation of the remuneration package.
According to him, the monthly pay of each senator is as follows: “The sum of N1,063,860, which includes basic salary- N168,866.70; motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance allowance- N126,650; personal assistant- N42,216.66; domestic staff- N126,650.00; entertainment- N50,660; utilities-N50,660; newspapers/periodicals- N25,330; wardrobe- N42,216.66; house maintenance- N8,443.33 and constituency allowance- N422,166.66.
“It is important to note that some allowances are regular, while others are non-regular. Regular allowances are paid consistently with the basic salary, while non-regular allowances are paid as they become due.
“For instance, furniture allowance (N6,079,200) and severance gratuity (N6,079,200) are paid once per tenure, and vehicle allowance (N8,105,600), which is optional, is a loan that the beneficiary must repay before leaving office.”
The RMFAC boss stressed that with the exception of a few political and public officeholders, such as the President, Vice President, Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, all public and legislative officers are no longer provided with housing, as was the case in the past.
He further clarified: “The Commission also wishes to use this opportunity to state that any allegation regarding other allowances enjoyed by any political or public officeholder, outside those provided in the Remuneration (Amendment) Act, 2008, should be explained by the person who made the allegation.
“To avoid misinformation and misrepresentation of facts that could mislead citizens and members of the international community, the Commission considers it most appropriate and necessary to request that Nigerians and any other interested parties take advantage of the opportunity to access the actual details of the current remuneration package for political, public and judicial officeholders in Nigeria, published on website: rmafc.gov.ng.”
Despite the clarification, many Nigerians doubt the figures released by the Commission, especially as different senators and members of the House of Representatives had come forward to quote different figures as the salaries and allowances.
One of such is Senator Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila (NNPP-Kano South), who in reaction to the controversy, insisted that he earns N21million in allowances every month, apart from monthly salary of about N1million.
Speaking to the BBC Hausa Service on Wednesday, August 14, Sumaila said the monthly salary was fixed by the RMAFC, adding: “My monthly salary is less than N1million. After deductions, the figure comes down to a little over N600,000.
“Given the increase effected, in the Senate, each senator gets N21million every month as running cost.
“For instance, furniture allowance (N6,079,200 million) and severance gratuity (N6,079,200 million) are paid once in every tenure and vehicle allowance (N8,105,600 million), which is optional, is a loan which the beneficiary has to pay before leaving office.
