The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has issued a strong directive to state governments, urging them to end the practice of paying arbitrary remunerations to public office holders at state and local government levels.
Speaking in Abuja at a workshop on the role of state executives and legislatures in implementing the commission’s recommendations, RMAFC Chairman Dr. Mohammed Shehu emphasized that such payments violate constitutional provisions.
The affected positions include governors, deputy governors, auditors-general, state civil service commission members, independent electoral commission officials, judicial service commission members, state assembly speakers, deputies, and local government chairpersons and councilors.
Shehu pointed out that a monitoring exercise revealed widespread breaches of Section 124 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, which states that state legislatures must determine remuneration but cannot exceed limits set by RMAFC.
He stressed the importance of state Houses of Assembly enacting laws to regulate salaries and allowances, ensuring compliance with RMAFC recommendations. He also warned that many states have failed to pass the necessary laws, instead arbitrarily adopting RMAFC’s proposals without legislative backing.
“This must stop,” Shehu declared, urging states to align with legal frameworks and prevent excessive spending on political office holders.
