RMAFC clarifies alleged approval of salary increments for Tinubu, governors, others still a proposal

*Nigeria’s Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, has clarified President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not given assent to the salary increase proposal, stating ‘it is still under the process’

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has denied a media report making the rounds that the regulatory Commission has approved 114 percent salary increments for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, State governors, and other political office holders, judicial and public office holders.

ConsumerConnect learnt Christian Nwachukwu, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of RMAFC, Wednesday, June 22, 2023, said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had not given approval for the increment of salaries of public servants in Nigeria.

Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, a Federal Commissioner in the fiscal regulatory Commission, Tuesday, June 21 had made the salary increment remark when she represented RMAFC Chairman, Mohammad Shehu, at the presentation of the reports of the reviewed remuneration package to Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.

Tanko-Ayuba also noted that the implementation of the reviewed remuneration packages was effective from January 1 this year.

However, the Spokesman of the Commission had strongly denied her claim, Daily Trust report said.

Nwachukwu stated: “Not my Chairman (of RMAFC). 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.”

The PRO of RMAFC further said: “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.”

He as well noted:

“I don’t want to be quoted wrongly. The President has not given assent to it. It is still under the process.”

Proposal yet to ‘be sent to NASS’ for consideration

When asked if the National Assembly (NASS) had even begun work on the proposal for salary increments, Nwachukwu affirmed that “it will be sent to National Assembly. Whichever way, whether it has been sent or not, the President has not assented to it.

“All those legislative process has to be completed; finally, it will land on Mr. President’s table for assent. That has not been completed.”

In connection with the story making the rounds on salary increments, and  whether the RMAFC has sent the Executive Bill through FEC to the National Assembly for deliberation, Nwachukwu simply said: “Everything is under the process.”