Senator Kawu Faults RMAFC, Says, “I Collect Over N21m Allowances Monthly”

Contrary to the assertion by Muhammed Shehu, Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC) that no Senator earns more than One Million, sixty-three thousand and eight hundred and sixty Naira (N1,063,860) per month, Senator Abduurrahaman Sumaila Kawu (NNPP, Kano South) has faulted the Commission, saying that he takes home more than N21 million monthly.Senator Abdurrahman Senator Sumaila Kawu pointedly said that he earns N21 million in allowances per month apart from his basic salary of about N1 million.

This was just as members of the House of Representatives earlier in the year admitted to earning N600,000 per month while the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) approximated the monthly take home of each Senator to be about N30 million.

Similarly, Senator Shehu Sani also disclosed that while he was in the Senate, he was collecting monthly running cost of N13.5 million in addition to his monthly N750,000 prescribed by the RMAFC.

In spite of the this revelations, Mohammed Shehu, the Chairman of the RMFAC, said on Monday, August 13, 2024 that Senators get paid salary plus allowances of N1,063,860 per month.

Shehu further said in a statement on Tuesday that with the exception of a few political and public office holders such as the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representative, among others, all public and legislative officers are no longer provided with housing as was the case in the past.

According to him; “The Commission also wishes to use this opportunity to state that any allegation regarding other allowance(s) being enjoyed by any political, public office holder outside those provided in the Remuneration (Amendment) Act, 2008 should be explained by the person who made the allegation.

“To avoid misinformation and misrepresentation of facts capable of misleading citizens and members of the International Community, the Commission considers it most appropriate and necessary to request Nigerians and any other interested party to avail themselves of the opportunity to access the actual details of the present Remuneration package for Political, Public and Judicial Office holders in Nigeria published on its website: www.rmafc.gov.ng.”

However, Shehu stressed that the RMAFC lacks the constitutional power to enforce compliance with proper implementation of official remuneration package, a lacuna he said is now being addressed by the National Assembly.

But, Senator Sumaila countered the Chairman of the RMAFC as he told the BBC Hausa that a Senator’s salary was fixed by the RMAFC, saying however that; “My monthly salary is less than N1 million. After deductions, the figure comes down to a little over N600,000 …. Given the increase effected, in the Senate, each Senator gets N21 million every month as running cost”.

His assertion buttressed the point made by Senator Sani who also said; “Each Senator collects a monthly salary and allowances of the sum of N1,063,860:00 consisting of the following: Basic Salary N168,866:70; Motor Vehicle Fuelling and Maintenance Allowance N126,650:00; Personal Assistant N42,216:66; Domestic Staff-126,650:00; Entertainment-N50,660:00; Utilities-N50,660:00; Newspapers/Periodicals-N25,330:00; Wardrobe N42,216,66:00; House Maintenance N8,443.33:00 and Constituency Allowance N422,166:66; respectively.”

The new vista was blown opened last week by former President Olusegun Obasanjo who argued that it is unconstitutional and immoral for federal lawmakers to fix huge salaries and allowances for themselves in contravention of the law.