Strong opposition has emerged following the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission's (RMAFC) proposal to increase salaries for President Bola Tinubu, governors, ministers, and other government officials in Nigeria.
The RMAFC Chairman, Mohammed Shehu, recently revealed plans to review upward the remuneration packages of government officials, describing current earnings as "inadequate, unrealistic, and outdated."
According to Shehu, President Tinubu currently earns N1.5 million monthly, while ministers receive less than N1 million. These figures have reportedly remained unchanged since 2008.
"Paying the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria N1.5m a month, with a population of over 200 million people is a joke," Shehu stated during a press briefing in Abuja.
The RMAFC boss emphasized that while the commission is not responsible for setting the minimum wage for civil servants or public sector workers, it is constitutionally mandated to determine the salaries of political, judicial, and legislative office holders.
Stakeholders Reject Proposal
The proposal has been met with stiff opposition from various stakeholders, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's aide, and activist lawyer Nkereuwem Akpan, who have all called for an immediate suspension of the planned pay raise.
Critics argue that while inflation might justify pay adjustments, the timing is inappropriate given the severe economic hardship many Nigerians are experiencing due to the current administration's reform policies.
Benson Upah, spokesman for the NLC, told BenriNews that the union is outraged by RMAFC's decision, describing it as "insensitive, unjust, and inequitable."
"It will only succeed in deepening the growing inequality between civil servants and political office holders," Upah stated. "It will equally deepen poverty among the generality of Nigerians, the majority of whom have not only been adjudged to be multi-dimensionally poor, but live miserably poor."
The NLC demanded that the current earnings of all political office holders be made public, the benchmark for the proposed review be disclosed, and that RMAFC put the exercise on hold "before it triggers a tsunami."
Atiku's Camp Condemns Move
Paul Ibe, spokesman for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, condemned the proposal, stating that "whoever conceived the idea of salary increase for government officials doesn't even mean well for the administration."
"Policies of Tinubu's administration are to benefit them only. It is all to serve their interests. We saw how much was wasted on the vice president's residence," Ibe told BenriNews.
He highlighted that the current minimum wage "is not even a living wage" and "cannot take average civil servants home," noting that it cannot even buy a bag of rice.
"The civil servant still has the school fees of his children to pay, healthcare costs, and is even being taxed here and beyond," Ibe added.
Activist Lawyer Questions Allowances
Constitutional lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Nkereuwem Udofia Akpan, argued that government officials, especially members of the National Assembly, should have their allowances reduced rather than increased.
"If you consider the humongous and mind-boggling allowances each of the 109 Senators and 460 Representatives take home in a month—vehicle allowances, accommodation, entertainment, car maintenance, furniture—then the almighty politics behind those constituency projects," Akpan stated, suggesting that the National Assembly constitutes "a real drain on the economy."
The lawyer questioned why President Tinubu, "who has been a Senator and two-term governor of Lagos State and has practically controlled the State ever since," would need a salary increase.
"The First Lady was recently quoted as saying that they were already rich before coming to Aso Rock, and most Nigerians agree with her," Akpan noted.
He emphasized that the real issues are not official salaries but "the brazen corruption, rot in the system, and the outright looting of public funds through awards of contracts."
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