The Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has commenced Public Hearing for the review of remuneration package of political, public and judicial office holders in the country.
Speaking during a one day the zonal Public Hearing for Northwest in Kano on Wednesday, Chairman of the Commission, Alhaji Mohammad Shehu said that president Muhammadu Buhari ha mandated the Commission to review the remuneration package.
Shehu said that the Federal Executive Council had deliberated on the other remuneration package for political office holders , and directed the commission to ensure adequate to review of the packages .
”The public hearing for the Northwest zone is being done In Kano, North Central is being Done in Jos, North East in Bauchi, South South in Bayelsa, South East in Enugu, and South West in Akure.
“We are here to engage all the Stakeholders from various states of the Northwest , labour leaders , judicial officers , government officials ,and legislatures so that they can give us their own views before the commission takes it’s final stand.
The chairman noted that the commission had already set remuneration and monetization committee which was spearheading the programme.
The chairman, Trade Union Congress, Samaila Alkali, called on the commission to suspend the remuneration of political office holders because local and foreign debt was overwhelming and the country was grappling with a lot of economic issues.
According to him, the upward review is not necessary at a time the country is battling with a lot of economic challenges.
The Chairman Nigeria Labour Congress Kano Chapter Kabiru Minjibir who spoke on behalf of NLC chairmen of the Northwest Zone said the commission should ensure that for every remuneration there is justification and bench mark must reflect equity.
He noted that no amount of increase in naira terms would be good enough if government did control the rising inflation and high cost of goods in the country.
The NLC chairman urged the federal government to suspend the upward review of the remuneration package for now.
According to him, the recent survey by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)indicates that 133 million Nigerians are multi -dimensionally poor.
Representatives of the North west States and stakeholders presented their opinions on the remuneration package.
