RMAFC: Senators earn N1m salary monthly, not N13.5m

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has debunked claims that Nigerian senators earn about N13.5 million salary monthly.

A former senator, Shehu Sani, had claimed that senators receive a monthly running cost of N13.5 million in addition to a N750,000 salary.

Reacting to Sani’s claims, the RMAFC, in a statement issued by its chairman, M. B. Shehu, on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, said each of the 109 senators receives a monthly salary of N1,063,860.

Shehu disclosed that each Senator collects a monthly salary and allowances of the sum of N1 million consisting of  Basic Salary – N168,866:70; Motor Vehicle Fuelling and Maintenance Allowance N126,650:00; Personal Assistant N42,216:66; Domestic Staff -126,650:00; Entertainment -N50,660:00; Utilities – N50,660:00; Newspapers/Periodicals – N25,330:00; Wardrobe – N42,216,66:00; House Maintenance – N8,443.33:00; and Constituency Allowance – N422,166:66.

The RMAFC chairman added: “It is instructive to note that some allowances are regular while others are non-regular. Regular allowances are paid regularly with Basic Salary while Non-Regular allowances are paid as at when due.

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“For instance, Furniture allowance (N6,079,200:00) and Severance Gratuity (N6,079,200:00) are paid once in every tenure and Vehicle allowance (N8,105,600:00) which is optional is a loan which the beneficiary has to pay before leaving office.”

Shehu noted that with the exception of some few political office holders, including the President, Vice President, Senate President, and the Speaker of the House of Representative, all public and legislative officers are no longer provided with housing as was the case in the past.

He said: “The Commission also wishes to use this opportunity to state that any allegation regarding other allowance(s) being enjoyed by any political, public office holder outside those provided in the Remuneration (Amendment) Act, 2008 should be explained by the person who made the allegation.

“To avoid misinformation and misrepresentation of facts capable of misleading citizens and members of the International Community, the Commission considers it most appropriate and necessary to request Nigerians and any other interested party to avail themselves of the opportunity to access the actual details of the present Remuneration package for Political, Public and Judicial Office holders in Nigeria published on its website: www.rmafc.gov.ng”

The Star