The Federal Government has said that it has started the review of emoluments of political office holders and judicial staff.

This is coming at a time when there is a lot of agitation against the huge allowances that political office holders especially the Federal legislators are paid at the expense of other government workers.

This disclosure was made by the Chairman of Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Chief Elias Mbam, on Saturday, at Amagu community in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi State, at the 7^th Ofala festival and 30^th anniversary of the coronation of the traditional ruler, saying the commission had begun reviewing their emoluments.

Mbam told newsmen that a process to review the remuneration of political and judicial office holders was in progress, noting that the commission was saddled with the responsibility, hence it would soon conduct a public hearing on the issue, to allow the citizens to contribute to the process.

What the RMAFC Chairman is saying

Mbam in his statement said, “One of the major responsibilities of our commission is to determine remunerations appropriate for political and judicial officeholders. In doing that, the financial situation of the country, at any giving time, is taken into consideration, including inflation and the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), among others.

The commission being conscious that a lot has happened since the last review, has commenced the process of another review to reflect the changing realities. We have progressed and we believe that before the end of 2021 something concrete will happen,” he said.

While not confirming whether their salaries would be reviewed upwards or downwards, the RMAFC Chairman said, “It is a process and the process at the end determines what it will be; when we go through the process, if it comes out to increase, we increase, if it decreases we do it.’’

Mbam, however, encouraged Nigerians to participate in the review, noting that there would be public hearings and invitations for memoranda from members of the public, including institutions under the three tiers of government.

The RMAFC boss, who also spoke on the diversification of Nigeria’s economy, noted that the solid minerals sector had been contributing immensely to the economy since his assumption of duty as chairman of the commission following the sensitization and advocacy campaigns to all tiers of government, to encourage revenue diversification.

Bottom line

The review of the emoluments of political office holders and judicial staffs would help address the concerns of Nigerians and various interest groups who feel that these political office holders are overpaid especially in this period of economic and revenue challenges.

It would also address their quest for better remuneration for Judges in line with the volume of work they do and also to discourage corruption in the Judiciary.

President Muhammadu Buhari finally reacted to the news of the killing of students abducted at Greenfield University, Kaduna by bandits earlier this week, promising to continue the fight against banditry and urged Nigerians to show empathy and come together as a society.

The President disclosed this in a statement on Saturday afternoon, after reports emerged of the killings.

What the President said

“The killing of three of the students kidnapped at Greenfield University, Kaduna, is tragic and condemnable. Three young Nigerians cut down in their prime, by evil people. My thoughts are with their families in this time of grief. May their souls Rest In Peace.

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These recurring kidnappings and killings, in Kaduna State in particular, are barbaric terror attacks. We are determined to continue fighting all forms of banditry, kidnapping and criminality with maximum will and with all the resources available to our country,” he added.

The President described it as unfortunate, that some political and religious leaders were inciting violence to stoke division of mourning families and urged the “great show of empathy and coming together as a society to squarely confront these elements and the danger they pose to our democracy and peaceful life in the country.”

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What you should know

The Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, announced on Friday that 3 students kidnapped at Greenfield University by bandits earlier this week were found dead. The bandits had demanded a ransom of N800 million from the parents of the students.