Tinubu Yet To Give Green Light On 114% Salary Increase For Politicians 

RMAFC said that it had not authorized wage increases for political office holders.

By Omotayo Olutekunbi

President Bola Tinubu has not authorized the implementation of wage hikes for public personnel, according to the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

This follows claims that RMAFC authorized a 114% pay increase for political, judicial, and public office holders.

Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, a Federal Commissioner in RMAFC, sparked the wage increase issue when she asked state Houses of Assembly to speed up efforts to alter applicable legislation to allow for upward revision of compensation packages for public servants.

She stated that the recommended effective date for the start of the implementation of the reviewed remuneration packages was January 1, 2023, and that the move was by the provision of paragraph 32(d) of Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Federal Government Constitution (as amended).

Tanko-Ayuba made the remarks while representing RMAFC Chairman Muhammadu Shehu during the presentation of the revised pay package to Kebbi State Governor Dr. Nasir Idris on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, in Birnin Kebbi.

Many Nigerians have responded angrily to the Federal Commissioner’s proposal, expressing strong opposition to the planned wage hike for lawmakers amid difficult economic circumstances.

In response to the news, the commission denied the words ascribed to Tanko-Ayuba, claiming that its Chairman has never stated a timetable for implementation.

This was revealed by Christian Nwachukwu, RMAFC Public Relations Officer, in an exclusive conversation 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.