The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has dismissed recent allegations concerning the earnings of Nigerian senators.
RMAFC says each of the 109 senators occupying legislative seats in the red chamber earns ₦1,063,860 salary and allowances per month.
The clarification followed claims by former Senator Shehu Sani that senators receive a monthly running cost of ₦13.5 million in addition to a ₦750,000 salary.
But RMAFC chairman, Mohammed Bello Shehu in a statement on Tuesday,detailed the senators’ earnings as follows;
Basic Salary – ₦168,866.70; Motor Vehicle Fuelling and Maintenance Allowance – ₦126,650.00; Personal Assistant – ₦42,216.66; Domestic Staff – ₦126,650.00; Entertainment – ₦50,660.00; Utilities – ₦50,660.00; Newspapers/Periodicals – ₦25,330.00; Wardrobe – ₦42,216.66; House Maintenance – ₦8,443.33; and Constituency Allowance – ₦422,166.66.
Shehu said RMAFC does not have the constitutional powers to enforce compliance with the proper implementation of the remuneration package of lawmakers.
“This lacuna is, however, being addressed by the National Assembly,” he said.
The RMAFC chief said some allowances are regular while others are non-regular. “Regular allowances are paid regularly with basic salary while non-regular allowances are paid as when due.
He also explained that senators receive regular allowances alongside their basic salary.
Non-regular allowances, such as Furniture Allowance (₦6,079,200) and Severance Gratuity (₦6,079,200), are paid once per tenure, while vehicle allowance (₦8,105,600) is an optional loan to be repaid before leaving office.
Shehu also clarified that, aside from the president, vice president, senate president, and speaker of the House of Representatives, no other public or legislative officials are provided with government housing, a benefit that has been discontinued.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had also criticized federal lawmakers for allegedly determining their own salaries, calling the practice “immoral.”
But in response, Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu had maintained that the National Assembly only receives the compensation allocated by RMAFC
