The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mohammed Shehu, had, during a recent visit to Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, disclosed the agency’s plan to review the remuneration of political officeholders and others. According to its spokesman, Christian Nwachukwu, the RMAFC is consulting with civil society organisations, traditional rulers and other stakeholders and that their input will be reflected in the exercise.
We hold that any upward review of salaries of political appointees is not necessary at this time that the government is in dire financial straits. Any raise in salary of political office holders at a period millions of Nigerians are in poverty and misery is insensitive. It amounts to a misplacement of priority. That is why the opposition trailing the plan is quite understandable.
If there is any category of Nigerians in need of an upward review of their remuneration, it will definitely be the Nigerian workers who are grappling with untold economic hardship, and certainly not the political office holders who are already enjoying jumbo salaries and other perks of office.
At a time the government should cut the cost of governance, any upward review of salaries of political office holders is unacceptable. The recent report that government may spend over N63.45 billion as severance package for the president, vice president, and outgoing state governors and other political appointees leaving office next year, will increase the financial burden of the government.
Unfortunately, government’s revenue generation is declining. The estimate also covers the severance gratuities for ministers, state commissioners, National Assembly members who are not returning, as well as special advisers to the president and vice president. Of the estimated N63.45 billion severance package, the Federal Government is expected to spend N3.39billion, while state governments may spend N60billion for the same purpose. Paradoxically, the affected officials are also entitled to retirement benefits and pensions.
Instead of increasing the wages of political appointees, the reverse will be the case in keeping with the mantra of reducing the high cost of governance. The parlous state of the economy recommends the reduction of the wages of political appointees. Though paragraph 32(D) Part One to the Third Schedule of 1999 Constitution (as amended), empowers the RMAFC to determine the remuneration of political, public and judicial officers, the exercise must consider the state of the economy and the ability of state governments to shoulder such a responsibility. The last time the review was done was in 2008.
It is untidy that despite the financial crisis in the country, emoluments of Nigerian political office holders remain the highest in Africa. Other privileges they enjoy include free cars, housing, newspapers, and other allowances for family and domestic staff. We disagree with the Chairman of the commission that poor remuneration of public, political and judicial officers was the main reason many of them are exposed to corruption.
Rather, it is greed and lack of strong institutions to deal with corruption that account for the festering high-profile corruption. While political office holders are entitled to 300 per cent of their annual salary as severance package, in some states and with the approval of the legislatures, ex-governors are paid 100 per cent of their annual basic salary for life and free medical services for them and families. This is why there is too much desperation for political power in Nigeria.
About N13.81billion was reportedly appropriated in the 2023 budget as pensions for former presidents, vice presidents, heads of state, chiefs of staff, retired heads of service, permanent secretaries and others. At the end of his tenure, the President is entitled to a severance pay of N10.54 million and 300 per cent of his annual basic salary, while the vice president will receive N9.09 million.
At the federal level, there are about 44 ministers and ministers of state, and a retinue of advisers, each of who receives a specific severance package. It is ironical that this obtains in a country where pensioners are owed arrears of their pensions and gratuities. The poor state of the economy does not warrant any upward review of the remuneration of political appointees now.
Since our legislators are being paid so much for doing so little, it is time to implement the new revenue sharing formula submitted to President Buhari in April this year by the immediate past Chairman of the commission, Dr. Elias Mbam. The commission recommended 45.17 per cent for the Federal Government, 29.79 per cent for state governments, and 21.04 per cent for local governments. The implementation of this recommendation is more vital and urgent now than the upward review of the remuneration of political office holders.