FG to spend N60bn on Senators, Reps annually
By Atser Godwin
Published: Monday, 18 Feb 2008

Annual salaries and allowances of the 469 members of the National Assembly have been increased from about N41bn to N60bn.

Details of the new pay and allowances are contained in a document by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission which was obtained by our correspondent in Abuja on Friday.

Although the document is awaiting the assent of President Umaru Yar’Adua, a source in RMAFC office said the lawmakers have started earning the new pay.

The source said that the new package was okayed by the commission three weeks ago.

Under the reviewed salary structure, the President of the Senate earns N2.48m yearly as basic pay while his deputy is entitled to N2.31m.

Each member of the Senate earns a basic salary of N2m annually.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives and his deputy receive almost the same package as the President of the Senate and the Deputy President of the Senate respectively.

Each member of the House of Representatives receives slightly less than a senator with about N1.99m as annual basic salary.

Before now, the President of the Senate and his deputy were entitled to N993,697 and N923,667 as annual basic salaries respectively.

The Speaker and the deputy were earning N990,844 and N877,987 per annum respectively.

A senator was entitled to N810,560 while a member of the House was was receiving N794,085 as annual basic salaries.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media, Senator Ayogu Eze, confirmed that the proposal had been passed by the Senate.

“We passed it. But I don’t think the President has signed it to law,” Eze said in a telephone interview.

The new pay structure has translated to skyrocketing allowances for the lawmakers.

For instance, a Senator with an annual basic salary of N2m, now receives N4m as accommodation allowance or 200 per cent of his basic salary.

He also has a furniture allowance of N6m or 300 per cent of his basic salary.

Besides, he is entitled to a vehicle loan of N8m or 400 per cent of his annual basic salary.

A member of the House is entitled to N3.98m or 200 per cent of his or her annual basic salary as accommodation allowance. He or she also receives N5.97m or 300 per cent of the basic salary for furniture.

Each lawmaker gets N7.96m or 400 per cent of his or her annaul basic salary as vehicle loan and N1.49m as maintenance allowance for the vehicle.

The reviewed salary structure also provides that a member of the House gets N497,500 or 25 per cent of the basic salary as wardrobe allowance and another N497,500 for personal assistant.

Each member is also to receive 75 per cent (N1.49m) of his basic salary as domestic allowance.

According to the document, the domestic allowance covers the cost of maintaining four domestic staff – a steward, cook, housekeeper and a gardener - employed by the member.

Besides, he or she is entitled to entertainment and utilities allowances of N597, 000 or 30 per cent of the basic salary.

The utilities allowance is to enable the member to settle electricity, water, gas, telephone and refuse collection bills.

The documents also provide that when the House proceeds on recess, each lawmaker should be paid N199, 000 or 10 per cent of his or her basic salary.

He or she is also entitled to 15 per cent of the annual basic salary as newspapers allowance.

Except when the government provides an official car or accommodation for a particular officer, the fringe benefits — in percentages — are applicable to all the members of the legislature.

The RMAFC said that in reviewing the new package, it considered the changes in the basic fundamentals of the Nigerian economy, external reserves, Gross Domestic Product growth rate, inflation and the need to correctly place some categories of public office holders that were wrongly placed in the old package.

The commission also said it recognised the need to modify old salaries and allowances and introduce new allowances that were not included in the old package.

“The commission also considered the need for a living wage to ensure honesty and dignity of the office holders,” the document said.
http://www.punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200802181415234

Enough is enough! For the first time in my life, I've finally given up on Nigeria. It took me long time but I finally gave up.

There is no need fooling myself. I may live in Nigeria, visit Nigeria, love Nigeria, support her development but I will never hold my breadth that things will improve in that country, unless there is a revolution in Nigeria.

If you're young, smart and ready, please find a way of getting out of that country. But never forget it's your home, albeit a home hijacked by thieves.

BEFORE

Before now, the President of the Senate and his deputy were entitled to N993,697 and N923,667 as annual basic salaries respectively.

The Speaker and the deputy were earning N990,844 and N877,987 per annum respectively.

A senator was entitled to N810,560 while a member of the House was was receiving N794,085 as annual basic salaries.

NOW

Under the reviewed salary structure, the President of the Senate earns N2.48m yearly as basic pay while his deputy is entitled to N2.31m.
Each member of the Senate earns a basic salary of N2m annually.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives and his deputy receive almost the same package as the President of the Senate and the Deputy President of the Senate respectively.
Each member of the House of Representatives receives slightly less than a senator with about N1.99m as annual basic salary.

THE SKY ROCKETING ALLOWANCES

FOR SENATORS

For instance, a Senator with an annual basic salary of N2m, now receives N4m as accommodation allowance or 200 per cent of his basic salary.
He also has a furniture allowance of N6m or 300 per cent of his basic salary.
Besides, he is entitled to a vehicle loan of N8m or 400 per cent of his annual basic salary.



FOR MEMBERS

A member of the House is entitled to N3.98m or 200 per cent of his or her annual basic salary as accommodation allowance. He or she also receives N5.97m or 300 per cent of the basic salary for furniture.
Each lawmaker gets N7.96m or 400 per cent of his or her annaul basic salary as vehicle loan and N1.49m as maintenance allowance for the vehicle.
The reviewed salary structure also provides that a member of the House gets N497,500 or 25 per cent of the basic salary as wardrobe allowance and another N497,500 for personal assistant.
Each member is also to receive 75 per cent (N1.49m) of his basic salary as domestic allowance.
According to the document, the domestic allowance covers the cost of maintaining four domestic staff – a steward, cook, housekeeper and a gardener - employed by the member.
Besides, he or she is entitled to entertainment and utilities allowances of N597, 000 or 30 per cent of the basic salary.
The utilities allowance is to enable the member to settle electricity, water, gas, telephone and refuse collection bills.
The documents also provide that when the House proceeds on recess, each lawmaker should be paid N199, 000 or 10 per cent of his or her basic salary.
He or she is also entitled to 15 per cent of the annual basic salary as newspapers allowance.
Except when the government provides an official car or accommodation for a particular officer, the fringe benefits — in percentages — are applicable to all the members of the legislature.

Hhhmmmm, ( holds chin while shaking head here). Interesting!!!! LMAO!!!

WHAT AMAZE ME IS THAT, THE SAME SETS OF THEIVES GOES OUT THERE TO SHOUT AND SLAP EACH OTHER, NOT MAKING USE OF THEIR TIME TO REPRESENT THEIR VARIOUS CONSTITUENCIES,,,

AT THE END OF EACH SITTINGS THEY COLLECT THEIR SITTING ALLOWANCE AND I HEARD THEY DO COLLECT ANNUAL CONSTITUENCY BUDGETS OF MILLIONS OF NAIRA, I WONDER OOOO WHAT PROJECTS THEY DO WITH THIS MONEY COLLECTED UNBEHALF OF THESE DISTRICTS

No wonder Nigerians kill one another to get to these exalted posititons!

Its almost the same amount some Bankers earn.

What is it they say again,if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.The only way you can get the creme de la creme of Nigeria to join the legislature is by paying them well.Who remembers that Abacha was officially on 70,000Naira a month?

We had this same issue with regards to Okonji-Iweala.If you don't pay well,you are not going to attract the brightest.

The problem is not the declared salaries but the undeclared 'democracy dividends'.However,in so far as corruption is concerned,higher wages curb and not enable corruption.

aisha2:

Its almost the same amount some Bankers earn.

@Aisha222222222222222222222
I like your writing style of entering issues from different angle. Keep it up.

4 Play:

What is it they say again,if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.The only way you can get the creme de la creme of Nigeria to join the legislature is by paying them well.Who remembers that Abacha was officially on 70,000Naira a month?

We had this same issue with regards to Okonji-Iweala.If you don't pay well,you are not going to attract the brightest.

The problem is not the declared salaries but the undeclared 'democracy dividends'.However,in so far as corruption is concerned,higher wages curb and not enable corruption.

@4play,
You have a point there.


@Topic,
Government and governance must be made so unattractive 'salarycally' that ONLY people of calibre with GOOD INTENSIONS will be attracted to it. Only then can credible and capable Leaders emerge and political jobbers and careerists like Adedibu and his cohorts can change trade.

for the fact that Bankers collect almost the same as propose as a Senator, did not guaranty such a jumbo pay as propose by the Executive

Legalize way of stealing

4 Play:

What is it they say again,if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.The only way you can get the creme de la creme of Nigeria to join the legislature is by paying them well.Who remembers that Abacha was officially on 70,000Naira a month?

We had this same issue with regards to Okonji-Iweala.If you don't pay well,you are not going to attract the brightest.

The problem is not the declared salaries but the undeclared 'democracy dividends'.However,in so far as corruption is concerned,higher wages curb and not enable corruption.

@4 Play,

Do you actually believe what you type? Seems you've stayed away from Nigeria for too long.

Let me bring you to reality, if you increase the wages (total) from N 60 billion to N 1 trillion, the ferocity of the political machinations employed to kill, maim and destroy to get political positions would only increase. Experience shows that the more you pay them, the more likely they are to steal.

Those that should be paid well, like the law enforcement officers are being paid peanuts.

Most of those in the legislature are common criminals who are not there to serve but to steal.