RMAFC salary review: Buhari, Osinbajo should not earn more than 600,000 monthly ― ADC

President Muhammadu Buhari should not earn more than the N600, 000 as salary per month as the highest-paid political office holder in the land, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), national chairman, Chief Ralphs Nwosu, said on Tuesday.

Nwosu was reacting to the announcement made by the chairman of Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mr Elias Mbam to review the remunerations of political office holders in the country.

Though the boss of the commission was not committal on if the review meant a possible rise in the current salaries, allowances and other fringe benefits of the political office holders, Nwosu described the current earnings as too much and mindless.

The boss of the commission had on Monday in Abuja said the review would be informed by the “current realities” in the country.

According to Mbam, the President and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo are currently on N3.5 million and N3.03 million as basic salary per annum, respectively

The annual basic salary of political office holders is: minister (N2.02m); minister of state, (N1.95m); Special Adviser (N1.94m); governor (N2.22m); deputy governor (N2.11m), and while a commissioner earns N1.33m.

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Besides, the President enjoys allowances such as hardship allowance, which is 50 per cent of his salary, about N1.757m, and consistency allowance, that is, 250 per cent of his salary amounting to about N8.79m.

The President’s gratuity is 300 per cent of his salary, amounting to N10, 544,115, and he is also entitled to a leave allowance of 10 per cent of his salary, as well as a vehicle loan which amounts to 400 per cent of the salary.

The vice-president, governors, members of the National Assembly and some other categories of political office holders also receive similar allowances in different amounts.

Other regular allowances enjoyed by the President, Vice President, the governors and members of the National Assembly include personal assistant, constituency, vehicle fuelling/maintenance, domestic staff, entertainment, recess, newspaper/periodicals and utilities.

Also included are house maintenance, security, special assistant, furniture, wardrobe, duty tour, accommodation, estacode and medical allowances.

However, the ADC national chairman chided the commission for a contemplating possible rise in the pay of such public officers, saying paying anyone above the current national minimum wage is criminal and retrogressive.

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He said the RMAFC members were mindless, outrageous and inept to propose any increase in politicians pay, just as Nwosu alleged that “Our political leaders are insensitive and their very actions are threatening the very existence of our democracy.”

In his opinion, the “scandal concerning the remuneration of political office holders has become too much. No political office holder, including the President, should earn more than 20 times the stipulated N30, 000 national minimum salaries in the country. There is no basis for that. I mean the total package.

“Whether you are a driver or the one being driven, we all operate within the same ecosystem; we buy from the same market and within the same states or country. So, even with all the certificates, knowledge and experiences, no one is really worth 10 times or work in that percentage than even the least person. Paying one public servant more than 100 times, as it is now, of the approved minimum wage is criminal and can only derail development of the country and cause other severe consequences.

“Any person who cannot work in the public sector should go to the private sector. As an entrepreneur, one can create their own wealth. Even in the private sector, salary disparity should not be that much. The cleaner’s job is critical in the organisational good health.”