By Jennifer Amarachi
Senator Sumaila Kawu, the lawmaker representing Kano South, has stated that his monthly take-home pay exceeds N21 million.
This disclosure comes just 24 hours after the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission announced that each of the upper chamber’s 109 senators receives N1.06 million in pay and benefits every month.
Mohammed Shehu, Chairman of the RMAFC, stated this as a clarification in response to recent controversy over how much each congressman earns per month.
According to Shehu’s statement, each lawmaker earns N12.72 million each year, with the Federal Government spending a total of N1.4 billion on all senators.
A breakdown of their monthly earnings revealed that each Senator receives a monthly pay and allowances of N1,063,860, which includes a basic salary of N168,866:70, a motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance allowance of N126,650:00, and a personal assistant of N42,216:66. Other expenses include domestic staff (126,650:00), entertainment (50,660:00), utilities (50,660:00), newspapers/periodicals (25,330:00), clothing (42,216,66:00), house upkeep (N8,443.33:00), and constituency allowance (N422,166:66).
In the statement, Shehu stated, “The commission also wishes to use this opportunity to state that any allegation regarding other allowance(s) 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.
” However, Senator Kawu said in an interview with British Broadcasting Hausa Service on Wednesday morning that, while his monthly salary is approximately N1 million, his total take-home pay is N21 million, a significant difference from the statistics reported by RMFAC. Kawu stated, “The amount of money I earn per month is less than N1m; if there are cuts, it comes back to roughly 600 thousand naira and a little something as salary.”
He noted that there are usually a few deductions by the RMFAC.
The issue of the amount of money received by federal lawmakers stirred up fresh controversies since last week.
Last week, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who was president between 1999 and 2007, had Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital while receiving in audience, six members of the House of Representatives, led by Ikenga UgoChinyere who visited him, chided the federal lawmakers for fixing their salaries and emoluments.
During the parley, Obasanjo said, “In your case, with all due respect, you’re not supposed to fix your salaries. But you decide what you pay yourself, the allowances that you give yourselves (including) newspaper allowances”.
