TheCable

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) says it it has finished its paper work on a downward review of the salaries of public office holders in line with current economic realities.

Elias Mbam, chairman of RMAFC, disclosed this to state house correspondents on Tuesday shortly after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on the commission’s activities inside.

He said the draft of the renumeration package would be ready before the end of September.

“We are currently reviewing the subsisting renumeration packages and it is going to reflect the socioeconomic realities of today,” he said.

“We expect that before the end of next month, it will be ready. But it will go through a process; it is not something that you will just say yes or no to.

“It will go through a process and it should be obvious to you the economic realities of the day and it is going to reflect that.”`

He added that the review will affect all cadres of public office holders at all arms of government, including the executive, legislature and the judiciary.

He said the review became necessary because many government agencies, states and local governments have been unable to pay salaries following decline crude oil prices in the international market.

Mbam explained that the downward review of the renumeration did not begin with the present administration, saying the commission had started the review process from last year.

He also said members of the national assembly will have no other choice but to accept the pay cut.

“They do not have a choice,” he said.

“We are guided by the constitution and we are going to be guided by such laws that are provided for in the constitution. They swore to obey the laws of the country.”

But he refrained from giving a definite date for the take-off of the new pay regime because it is beyond his control.

“I do not determine when the process will be concluded but as far as the commission is concerned,” he said.

“We have concluded our work and announced to the general public that we have a draft. But you know it goes through a process before it finally becomes a law.”

The jumbo pay of legislators is a recurring topic in the media, but Mbam said the figures were being blown out of proportion.

“Despite the spirited efforts of the commission through advertisements and constant press interaction, the wrong information on lawmakers emoluments are constantly being reported,” he lamented, urging Nigerians to visit RMAFC’s website “for the true position of the renumeration packages of public officers”.