Public, political and judicial officers are set to enjoy salary increase.

The Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) said it has concluded arrangements to review their remuneration.

A statement from the RMAFC said the Chairman of the Commission, Mohammed Bello Shehu gave the assurance when he paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman, Nigerian Governors Forum, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto in his office in Abuja.

Mohammed Bello stated that paragraph 32(D) of part 1 to the third schedule of 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, empowers the Commission to determine the remuneration appropriate to political, public and judicial office holders in the country.

He Informed Tambuwal that the last time the remuneration review for these categories of Nigerians “was carried out was 2008 which makes it even over due for review”.

In a chat with The Nation, the RMAFC boss lamented what he described as the poor remuneration of public, political and judicial office holders which has exposed them to corrupt tendencies.

According to him: “The salaries of members of the House is even worse but because they claim they are independent they packaged all sorts of allowances.

“There is a need for that review. I have seen a magistrate that earns N150,000 a month. That is a magistrate, somebody who passes judgement. Ask around, it will shock you, they are all over Nigeria, they don’t have housing, they don’t have transportation, they have very difficult conditions of service”.

“I think it’s about time this is reviewed for national good because we have to be able to take care of judicial officers apart from the ministers and permanent secretaries.”

He reiterated that the review is long overdue.

Defending his claim for the review, he said: “We have a middle level worker in NNPC, in CBN who earns more that a judge, that’s the reality. In some places like the NCC, no one even knows. Anybody working in NCC will never disclose their salary to you”.

“The salary of a serving minister is N500,000, housing allowance is 200 percent of the basic. I know of a Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, when he left, his gratuity was N500 million. That is a life time pension”.

The RMAFC boss promised to produce a fair and credible remuneration for the affected officers.

Those whose remuneration will be affected and earn: The President N14,058,820 per annum (p.a.); the Vice President N12,126,290p.a.; Ministers, SGF, HoS, Chairmen of Constitutional bodies N7,801,640:00 p.a.; Ministers of State and members of Constitutional bodies N7,536,683 p.a.; Special Advisers including speech writers N7,091,493p.a.

These figures are the annual basic salaries these office holders excluding their entitled allowances like accommodation, furniture, duty tour allowance, Estacada, medicals, severance gratuity, leave and motor vehicle loan.

The annual basic salary and regular allowances like vehicle fueling and maintenance, Special assistant, Personal assistant, domestic staff, entertainment, utility, security, monitoring and newspapers for Director-General/Auditor General, Permanent Secretaries, Accountant General/Executive Secretaries/Chief Executives of Parastatals, Agencies and Government Companies, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners is N7,414,580:25.

The annual basic salary and regular allowances of the Chief Justice of Nigeria is N6,727,944:99; Justices of the Supreme Court/President, Court of Appeal is N10,899,284; The Senate President N8,694,848:75; Deputy Senate President N8,082,083:65; Senator N12,766,320:00; Speaker House of Representatives N4,954,220:00; Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives N4,574,068:50; Members, House of Representatives N9,529,038:06; State Governors N7,782,967:50 and Deputy Governors N7,392,752:50. (THE NATION)

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