A public administration analyst, Mr IfeanyiChukwu Afuba, has come down hard on the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), saying that the body has proved to be a major contributor to Nigeria’s governance crisis.

Under the Third Schedule, Part 1of the amended 1999 Constitution, the RMAFC is charged, among other duties, with the power to review salaries of categories of public servants as well as revenue allocation formula. But Afuba observed that the fiscal authority has been selective and self-serving in the approach to its constitutional mandate.

Afuba accused sets of RMAFC administrations from1999 to date of “harbouring the palace mentality” to issues of political office holders’ remuneration.

Speaking with journalists recently in Awka, the Anambra State capital, Afuba said on the other hand, RMAFC authorities had consistently ignored public outcry over unacceptable high earnings of elected officials and political appointees while glossing over the plight of States in the revenue allocation system.

“The Constitution mandates the Commission to determine remuneration appropriate for political office holders. Why have we seen only upward review of salaries by the Commission? Why hasn’t any of the RMAFC regimes ever proposed reduction in the earnings of political office holders?” he queried.

“Recently, a kite was flown on pay raise for this same set of public servants by the Commission. This is coming in the face of protests by Nigerians over stupendous salaries and allowances enjoyed by the political class in government. The national minimum wage of N30, 000 cannot buy a bag of rice. So it’s scandalous for the Commission to be considering upward review of emoluments for political office holders,” Afuba said.

He held that the policy of jumbo pay for elective and appointive positions being implemented by RMAFC was at odds with the essence of public service.

“This practice,” according to him, “is a declaration that the ruling elite are lords, rather than servants of the people. There’s a sense of entitlement propelling the financial awards. And, don’t forget that members of RMAFC, by extension, benefit from this special remuneration for political office holders.”

The public administration analyst stressed othe negative ripple effects of such luxurious conditions of service.

“The first fallout is obvious. You see it in the fierce battles to win elections. The second notable result is not so obvious but it’s a strong influence all the same. When you see associations like ASUU and NMA adamant on their demands on government, this is where they’re coming from – the logic of precedent rule,” he said.

Afuba called on the leadership of RMAFC to emulate the bold step of Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, who on assumption of office, cut the salaries of political appointees by 25 percent.

“Anambra is among the States with the lowest remuneration for political office holders. Every progressive Nigerian gives kudos to Soludo for that singular act because it sends a clear message that public office is an invitation to work, not to come and eat,” he said.

The public administration practitioner lamented the short-changing of states in fiscal benefits as a result of RMAFC’s inability to come up with an equitable revenue formula.

He said: “Global best practices recognises States as the centres of development requiring greater funding, but here, we are saddled with a ‘unitary’ revenue system that allocates 52 percent of national income to the federal government at the expense of 36 States and 774 local governments. For the 23 years of the Fourth Republic, the RMAFC has failed to redress this skewed sharing law imposed by the military.

“What is worse is that even with their small share of national revenue, states are compelled by the demands of service delivery to bear federal responsibilities. Thus, states maintain federal roads; fund operations of the military, police, etc., and routinely support federal agencies in their states, whose heads never tire of pestering Governors to provide them with logistics.”

Afuba concluded that Nigerians should demand performance from RMAFC to facilitate good governance and development.

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