The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) representing Kano South, has disclosed that he earns N21 million in allowances every month, in addition to a monthly salary of about N1 million.
This revelation comes just days after former President Olusegun Obasanjo accused members of the National Assembly of fixing their own salaries and allowances in violation of existing laws.
Senator Sumaila made this statement barely 24 hours after the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) – the body responsible for setting the salaries and allowances of public officials – revealed that each Senator receives a total monthly salary and allowances of N1,063,860.00.
Speaking to the BBC Hausa Service on Wednesday morning, Sumaila explained that the monthly salary is fixed by the RMAFC. He said, “My monthly salary is less than N1 million. After deductions, it comes down to a little over N600,000.” He added, “In addition, each Senator receives N21 million every month as running costs.”
It is worth recalling that during the 8th Senate, Senator Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna Central, publicly disclosed that each Senator received a monthly running cost of N13.5 million, along with the N750,000 monthly salary set by the RMAFC.
On Tuesday, RMAFC Chairman Muhammed Bello Shehu provided further clarification on the actual salaries and allowances paid to members of the National Assembly. He stated that RMAFC had determined that each Senator receives a total monthly salary and allowances of N1,063,860.00.
The commission provided a breakdown of lawmakers’ take-home pay, which includes a basic salary of N168,866.70, motor vehicle fueling and maintenance allowance of N126,650, personal assistant allowance of N42,216.66, domestic staff allowance of N126,650, entertainment allowance of N50,660, utilities allowance of N50,660, newspapers/periodicals allowance of N25,330, wardrobe allowance of N42,216.66, house maintenance allowance of N8,443.33, and constituency allowance of N422,166.66.
Shehu explained that some allowances are regular, paid along with the basic salary, while others are non-regular and paid as due. For instance, furniture allowance (N6,079,200) and severance gratuity (N6,079,200) are paid once every tenure, while vehicle allowance (N8,105,600), which is optional, is a loan that must be repaid before the end of the tenure.
He clarified that except for a few political and public officeholders, such as the President, Vice President, Senate President, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, most public and legislative officials are no longer provided with housing as was previously the case.
The RMAFC also took the opportunity to address allegations about additional allowances being received by some political and public officials. The commission urged Nigerians and interested parties to verify the official details of remuneration packages for political, public, and judicial officeholders as published on its website: www.rmafc.gov.ng.
The RMAFC Chairman lamented that the commission does not have constitutional authority to enforce compliance with the official remuneration package, a gap that the National Assembly is working to address.
Earlier, former President Olusegun Obasanjo accused members of the National Assembly of setting exorbitant salaries and allowances for themselves in violation of existing laws. Speaking in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while hosting six members of the House of Representatives led by Ikenga Ugo-Chinyere, Obasanjo said, “You are not supposed to fix your own salaries, but you do, including various allowances, and you know it is wrong. It is immoral.”
Senator Kawu reiterated in his BBC Hausa Service interview, “My monthly salary is less than N1 million. After deductions, it comes to about N600,000 and a small amount beyond that.”
