Indications emerged on Monday that President Umaru Yar’Adua, state governors, political and public officers will enjoy a new pay package.

Apart from lawmakers at all levels, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and other judicial officers will also benefit from the new pay.

A source in the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent in Abuja, confirmed that the proposals on the pay rise were sent to the Fifth National Assembly in February 2007.

The source said that the Senate ratified the new package at the twilight of its tenure in May.

He said, “Based on some economic indices, we recommended an increase of about 150 per cent over the package in our 2000 report.

“We felt that the Consolidated Top Federal Public Office Holders Salary Structure was no longer realistic. We took into account the inflation rate from 1999 to date, the external reserves, the Gross Domestic Product growth rate, the prices of oil and other economic factors.

“We had a lot of consultations with the stakeholders, especially those in the executive, legislative and judicial arms of the government.”

The source added that the new package would also correct the errors in the 2000 salary structure for political office-holders.

Highlights of the new basic salary (per annum) are: President, N3,514,705.00; Vice-President, N3,031,572.50; Minister, N2, 026,400.00; Minister of State, N1,957,580; Special Adviser, N1,942,875.00; Auditor-General/Permanent Secretary, N1,925,865.00.

Others are: the Chief Justice of Nigeria, N3,363,972.50; Justice of the Supreme Court and President of the Court of Appeal, N2,477,110.00; State Governor, N2, 223,705.00; Deputy Governor, N2,112,215; Chairman of Local Government, N908,312.00; and Vice-Chairman, N853,056.00.

For the legislature, the package includes President of the Senate, N2,484,242.50; Deputy President of the Senate, N2,309,166.75; Senator, N2,026,400; Speaker of House of Representatives, N2,477,100; Deputy Speaker, N2,287.034.25; and Member of the House of Representatives, N1,985,212.50.

The beneficiaries also include Speaker (State House of Assembly), N1,639,875; Deputy Speaker, N1,445,982.50; member, N1,337,225; Leader of the Local Government Legislature, N811,000; Deputy Leader, N810,000, and Councillor, N760,076.

A magazine, the Economic Confidential, had in one of its editions said, “The new package contains increase in the annual basic salaries and some allowances for the office-holders.

“Some existing allowances have also been modified. They include medical, security, severance gratuity and accommodation.

“The accommodation allowance has been segregated based on differences in cost of living in various locations in the country.

“However, rent allowance has not been consolidated with the rest of the allowances in the emolument package, as it is payable where an office is not provided accommodation at government expenses.”

The source in RMAFC said the new salary package and allowances had become effective.

The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, on Monday said the last Senate passed the RMAFC bill on the new package before it wound up its sitting in May.

Ndoma-Egba made the clarification on the telephone with our correspondent in Abuja.

He said the passage of the law made it possible for the RMAFC to implement the current salaries and allowances for members of the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.

He said, “The RMAFC law was passed by the last Senate and is already in effect.”

He explained that the Senate passed the proposal sent to it by the commission in February.

Ndoma-Egba said, ”We treated it before the last Senate came to an end. What I don‘t know is whether the House of Representatives did the same.

“Constitutionally, we cannot set our own remuneration because we are an interested party.

“The commission sets and reviews remuneration when the new economic indices point to such a review. The commission sets it and brings it to the National Assembly to ratify.”

He explained that the legislature was the only arm of government recognised by the 1999 Constitution to appropriate funds for the general well-being of Nigerians.



http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200706123243889

I hope this means that the 15% salary increase that was promised workers would come any time soon.

When is that strike starting sef?

You mean Yar'Adua is recieving less than $30,000 per annum, that is far less than the average salary of an ordinary citizen in the US. In fact $15,000 less. That man is suffering O! So at the End of one year in office, he would still need a loan to buy a mercedez benz for his personal use. Ah Nigerian workers are really suffering and no one is spared.

Nice one denex.

I guess the low salary is what makes our government officials so damn corrupt!

How come this salary review is only for the top executives? The ordinary civil servants nko? No be the same market dem they go?

denex i dont think the problem here is with the salary
the problem here is with our structure
we have a cash economy where no matter the value of anything, u will have to pay cash to get it
u mentioned a benz, in other societies, u dnt have to pay cash to get such things
so the type of car u hv do not tell how paid u r paid

these days we have some financial institutions that are springn up and are also encouraging credit especially for those with 'secure jobs'

Razorr, me sef go soon join politics!
imagine increasing their salary for doin nothing!
some of these legislators hardly support any bill much less raise one
even when u listen to them, they hardly sound constructive!
to some, it is just a gold mine

this is why we have the type of political class that we have!

we treat them like bloody thin gods
they are free to misbehave and get paid it
for 4yrs, that person can move from obscurity to a celebrity!
from an average Nigerian to an multi millionaire
no questions asked
yet we are increasing t heir salary!

and because they leave in absolute comfort , they will tell you that Nigeria is not as difficult as pple make it sound
they dont get caught up in traffic; so no need for traffic lights/warden!

it is just sad!

these renumerations are not enough to feed their dogs not to talk of taking it home.its a grand deception. i wonder who they are fooling.
to prove their points. FG should enforce strict compliance of spending and living within salary so as to see who really wants to work. this will distract thieves.

Ehen. No wonder Nigerian presidents are always stealing. A whole president is not socially secure. A whole Nigerian President cannot even afford to be financially free. Thank God finally there is respite after all these years. $30,000 per annum? That means our president cannot talk where a bank manager is talking.