The federal government through
the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, says only the
management of the National Assembly Service Commission can explain the N13.5
million running cost allegedly being enjoyed by each Senator.
Senator Shehu Sani had revealed
how much he and his colleagues receive monthly as running cost.
Ibrahim Mohammed, the Head,
Public Relations, in a statement on Wednesday, said the Remuneration Act only
covers salary and allowances but not running cost.
He said that the clarification
became imperative in view of the recent revelation by Shehu Sani, an APC Senator
representing Kaduna Central, who was reported to have disclosed to the public
that each senator collects monthly running cost of N13.5 million.
Mr Sani had said that this was in
addition to the monthly salary of N750, 000 prescribed by the “Certain Political,
Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) (Amendments)
Act 2008.”
Mr Mohammed said that a closer
look at the monthly entitlement of senators reveals that each of them collects
salary and allowances of the sum of N1.06 million.
He said that the figure consists
of the following: Basic-N168,866, motor vehicle fueling and maintenance
allowance; N126,650, Personal Assistant N42,216.
“Domestic Staff-N126,650,
Entertainment-N50,660,Utilities-N50,660, Newspapers/Periodicals-N25,330,
Wardrobe -N42,216, House Maintenance –N8,443 and Constituency-N422,166
respectively.”
He also said that some allowances
were regular, while others were non-regular.
“Regular allowances are paid
regularly with basic salaries, while non-regular allowances are paid when due.
“For instance, furniture
allowance of N6.079 million and severance gratuity of N6.079 million are paid
once every tenure, while motor vehicle loan of N8.1 million is optional which
the beneficiary has to offset before leaving office.
“The payment of running cost is
not part of RMAFC mandate, therefore, only the National Assembly can explain
it,” he said.
According to Mohammed, the Law on
Salaries and Allowances of Public Office Holders is very clear.
Mr Mohammed also said that
auditing does not fall within the purview of the commission.
He said that any other payments
being enjoyed by any political or public office holder outside those provided
in the Remuneration Act of 2008 were not known to the commission.
He added that the Chief
Accounting Officers of the agencies concerned should explain such payments.
Mr Mohammed advised that
Nigerians should avoid misinformation and misrepresentation of facts capable of
misleading citizens and members of the international community.
He said that they could access
the actual details of the present remuneration package for Political, Public
and Judicial Office holders in Nigeria published on its website:
http://www.rmafc.gov.ng, www.rmafc.gov.ng.
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Thank you for the clarification, they did it for their own benefit, but God is watching
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