THE recent announcement made by the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), M. B. Shehu, indicated that each of the 109 senators in the Red Chamber receives a monthly salary and allowance totaling ₦1,063,860.
The purpose of this disclosure was to address the persistent controversies and lack of transparency surrounding the salaries and remuneration of National Assembly members. The issue was reignited following former President Obasanjo’s statement questioning the legislators’ autonomy in determining their own pay. Moreover, a lawmaker from Kaduna State, Senator Shehu Sani, had previously disclosed that when he was in the Senate, each senator received a monthly running cost of ₦13.
5 million in addition to the prescribed ₦750,000 monthly allowance set by the RMAFC. Sani emphasised that the RMAFC lacks the constitutional authority to ensure compliance with the proper implementation of lawmakers’ remuneration packages, further complicating the debate surrounding legislators’ pay. Sani provided a detailed breakdown of the salary and allowances allocated to each senator, including the following components: Basic Salary – ₦168,866.
70; Motor Vehicle Fuelling and Maintenance Allowance – ₦126,650.00; Personal Assistant – ₦42,216.66; Domestic Staff – ₦126,650.
00; Entertainment – ₦50,660.00; Utilities – ₦50,660.00; Newspapers/Periodicals – ₦25,330.
00; Wardrobe – ₦42,216.66; House Maintenance – ₦8,44.