The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Muhammed Shehu, clarified that political officeholders do not earn exorbitant salaries. Contrary to misconceptions, he revealed that President Bola Tinubu earns less than N1.5 million monthly, and ministers earn less than N1 million.
Shehu emphasized that the notion of jumbo salaries for public officeholders is inaccurate. He pointed out that monthly salaries for public officials are relatively modest. However, he acknowledged that what often appears as excessive earnings are actually statutory office running costs, which should be centrally managed by the National Assembly Service Commission (NASS).
In addressing this misconception, Shehu highlighted the importance of distinguishing between salaries and the operational expenses associated with running political offices. He mentioned that members of the National Assembly receive funds to manage their offices, including expenditures related to constituency services.
Shehu also noted that certain institutions like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) offer substantial salaries to their employees.
Overall, his statement aimed to provide clarity on the income of political officeholders and dispel the perception of extravagant salaries, emphasizing the need to manage office operational costs more efficiently.
