Amid ongoing public concerns, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has begun a retreat in Kano to harmonise reports that will guide the review of remuneration packages for political and public office holders.
The move comes after the Commission successfully concluded its review of judicial officers’ pay.
Opening the retreat, Mohammed Kabeer Usman, Chairman of the RMAFC Monetisation Committee and Federal Commissioner representing Gombe State, emphasized that the exercise is crucial for Nigeria’s governance stability and sustainability.
He explained that the 1999 Constitution empowers RMAFC to determine appropriate salaries for political, public, and judicial officers at all levels.
According to him, the Commission considered stakeholder memoranda, public hearings, ministerial inputs, global best practices, and economic indicators in its deliberations.
Usman stressed that the review is not just about figures, but also about sustainability and affordability, ensuring government can implement the recommendations without straining public finances.
“We must harmonise our reports into one clear framework that is fair, realistic and beneficial to all,” he urged.
Also speaking, RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Bello Shehu defended the review, noting that political office holders’ pay has not been revised since 2008.
He argued that paying ministers and top government officials less than their counterparts in agencies or parastatals is inequitable and undermines performance.
The retreat, attended by federal commissioners and other stakeholders, is expected to produce a comprehensive framework for implementing the new remuneration structure for political, public, and judicial office holders.