The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has denied some rending reports claiming the government has approved the increment of salaries of political office-holders, judicial and public office holders by 114 percent.
According to the RMAFC Public Relations Officer, Christian Nwachukwu, the President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is yet to approve any such increase.
He added that the trending claim of a salary increase for some public office holders did not emanate from him or from the RMAFC Chairman.
Nwachukwu made the clarification in a chat with Leadership on Wednesday when he was asked about the statement credited to a Federal Commissioner in the Commission, Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba who reportedly said it while representing the commission’s chairman, Mohammad Shehu at the presentation of the reports of the reviewed remuneration package to Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, in Birnin Kebbi, on Tuesday.
Tanko-Ayuba was said to have claimed the reviewed remuneration packages were effective from January 1, 2023.
However, the RMAFC spokesperson denied the claims about the reviewed packages.
“Not my chairman. Not my chairman. My chairman has never made any statement on it. And I have not made any statement on it. No statement from chairman, no statement from me. So, I don’t know. I heard one of the Commissioners said it. I don’t want to be quoted,” the RMAFC spokesperson said.
He added that everything is still under process and no approval has been given for it by President Tinubu.
“No approval yet. There is no approval yet. I don’t know the source of that story. Everything is under the process. It has to come as a Bill for Mr President to assent.
“The President has not given assent. Until the President gives assent, you cannot take it as if it has taken effect. You know that. You are a journalist.
“I don’t want to be quoted wrongly. The President has not given assent to it. It is still under the process,” Nwachukwu said further during the phone chat.
Asked if the National Assembly has begun work on the proposal, he said: “It will be sent to National Assembly. Whichever way, whether it has been sent or not, the President has not assented to it. All those legislative process has to be completed; finally, it will land on Mr President’s table for assent. That has not been completed.”
When asked for clarity on the veracity or otherwise of the story making the rounds on salary increment, Nwachukwu replied: “just take it the way you understand it so that you don’t quote me anyhow.”
Pressed further on whether the RMAFC has sent the executive bill through FEC to the National Assembly for deliberation, Nwachukwu simply said: “everything is under the process.”
