Following President Muhammadu Buhari’s order directing the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to address public outcry over huge salaries and allowances of members of the National Assembly, the chairman of the commission, Elias Mbam, said on Tuesday that Senators and members of the House of Representatives will earn less than N1 million by the end of next month.
Speaking
at the State House after Mr. Mbam made presentation on the activities and
challenges of the commission, President Buhari chided the RMAFC for approving
excessive remunerations for some political office holders, and urged the
commission to seek a proper interpretation of its powers and address the public
outcry against the unreasonably high payments.
President
Buhari also warned that severe sanctions will be visited on any individual or
organisation that violates the directive on the payment of all national revenue
into the Federation Account.
President
Buhari spoke a week after Premium Times published details of the federal
lawmakers’ salaries and allowances, a publication that sparked widespread
public anger against the lawmakers, with many calling a drastic cut.
But
in his response to reporters’ questions after meeting the president, the RMAFC
boss said the commission had been working on the review of the salaries and
allowances of the political office holders at National Assembly, the State
Assemblies and Local Governments, adding that the review also covers the
Judiciary.
Mr.
Mbam said the review, which according to him is still going through a process
and expected to be ready by next month, is expected to reflect the economic
realities of the day occasioned by the drop in oil prices.
“We
are currently reviewing the subsisting remuneration packages and it is going to
reflect the socio-economic realities of today. We expect that before the end of
next month, it will be ready. But it will go through a process, it is not
something that you will just say yes or no,” he said.
-Premium Times
No comments:
Post a Comment