Abdulwahab Isa 
A senator collects a monthly salary and allowances in the sum of N1.1 million (N1,063,860), Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission declared yesterday, putting paid to the controversy over salaries and allowances payable to members of the National Assembly.
The Commission breaks it down as follows: Basic Salary – N168,866:70; motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance allowance N126,650:00; personal assistant N42,216:66; domestic staff-126,650:00; entertainment – N50,660:00; utilities-N50,660:00; newspapers/periodicals – N25,330:00; wardrobe-N42,216,66:00; house maintenance -N8,443.33:00 and constituency allowance – N422,166:66.
In addition, the Commission in a statement issued by its Chairman, Mohammed B. Shehu, clarified some allowances as regular while others are non-regular. “Regular allowances are paid regularly with basic salary while non-regular allowances are paid as at when due.
For instance, furniture allowance (N6,079,200:00) and severance gratuity (N6,079,200:00) are paid once in every tenure and Vehicle allowance (N8,105,600:00) which is optional is a loan which the beneficiary has to pay before leaving office.”
“It is important to also emphasise that with the exception of some few political, public office holders, such as the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representative, etc, all public and legislative officers are no longer provided with housing as was the case in the past,” RMAFC stated, adding: “Any allegation regarding other allowance(s) being 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.”
Controversy on salaries and allowances payable to members of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is an issue that continues to occupy the front-burner of national discourse, especially among elder statesmen, public affairs commentators, civil society and the media.
RMAFC said the clarification was compelled by the recent statement made by Mr Shehu Sani, a former senator who was reported to have disclosed to the public that each senator collects a monthly running cost of N13.5m, in addition to the monthly N750, 000.00 prescribed by the Commission.
“First of all, I wish to state that RMAFC does not have constitutional powers to enforce compliance with proper implementation of the remuneration package. This lacuna is, however, being addressed by the National Assembly,” RMAFC noted.
