Tinubu yet to approve 114% salary increase for elected politicians - RMAFC

The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) said President Bola Tinubu has not approved the implementation of salary increases for public servants.

This comes following reports alleging that RMAFC has approved the increment of salaries of political office-holders, judicial and public office holders by 114 per cent.

A Federal Commissioner in RMAFC, Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, had ignited the salary increment debate when she urged state Houses of Assembly to hasten efforts on amendment of relevant laws to give room for upward review of remuneration packages for public officers.

She noted that January 1, 2023, was the recommended effective date for the commencement of the implementation of the reviewed remuneration packages, adding that the move was in line with the provision of Paragraph 32(d) of Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Government (as amended).

Tanko-Ayuba said these while representing RMAFC Chairman, Muhammadu Shehu, at the presentation of reports of the reviewed remuneration package to Kebbi State governor, Dr Nasir Idris, on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, in Birnin Kebbi.

RMAFC provides clarification

The call by the Federal Commissioner has been generating angry reactions from many Nigerians who expressed strong disapproval for the proposed salary increase for politicians in the middle of harsh economic conditions.

Reacting to the development, the commission disowned the remarks attributed to Tanko-Ayuba, insisting that its Chairman has never made any statement regarding the timeline for the implementation.

This was disclosed by RMAFC Public Relations Officer, Christian Nwachukwu, in an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP on Wednesday, June 21, 2023.

Nwachukwu said “Not my chairman. Not my chairman. My chairman has never made any statement on it. And I have not made any statement on it. No statement from chairman, no statement from me. So, I don’t know. I heard one of the Commissioners said it. I don’t want to be quoted.

“No approval yet. There is no approval yet. I don’t know the source of that story. Everything is under the process. It has to come as a Bill for Mr President to assent.

“The President has not given assent. Until the President gives assent, you cannot take it as if it has taken effect. You know that. You are a journalist.

“I don’t want to be quoted wrongly. The President has not given assent to it. It is still under the process.” Nwachukwu stressed.