The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has spotted lapses in the implementation of the remuneration reports at the state and local government levels.
The error, according to the Commission, was detected in the report of a pilot monitoring exercise it carried out in 2019, Executive Chairman of the Commission Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu has revealed.
To remedy the lapses, Bello on Thursday engaged the executive and legislative members of states and local government in a workshop on the role of the state executive/ legislature in the implementating the recommendations of the RMAFC with respect to remuneration package for political, public and judicial office holders.
“The Commission had observed lapses in the implementation of the remuneration reports at the state and local government levels as contained in the report of a Pilot monitoring exercise it carried out in 2019. For instance, whereas the Remuneration Act was enacted at the federal level for political, public and judicial officeholders at that level and the Federal Capital Territory, most States across the country adopted the Commission’s recommendation as contained in its reports without the required legislative action or enactment of State Laws.
“This action contravenes the constitutional provision concerning remuneration of the executive at the state and local Government levels”.
“Equally, the Commission, has on a continuous basis, received complaints, requests for clarifications in implementing the recommendations contained in its reports and/or investigations of violation of the same recommendations by ICPC or EFCC against officials of the States and Local Governments”, he said
He said the one day workshop was organized for the purpose, to address observations, with specific objectives which include: enlighten key stakeholders in the state executive/legislature and other operators in the implementation of the remuneration package as provided in the Commission’s remnuneration reports; provide clarifications on some grey areas and other challenges you might have experienced in the course of implementing the remuneration package;advise the executive and legislative arms at the state level to adhere strictly to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) in implementing the remuneration package for Political and Public office holders at the State and Local Government levels and to, receive and articulate comments, observation, opinions and suggestions as may be elicited from this workshop to further guide the Commission in the discharge of its function of determining remuneration for Political, Public and Judicial Office holders in the country among others.
RMAFC Chairman emphasized the provision of Section 124 (1) & (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to underscore its importance on the expected role of the States Houses of Assembly.
According to him, “Section 124(1) provides that “there shall be paid to the holders of the offices mentioned in this section such remuneration and salaries as may be prescribed by a House of Assembly, but not exceeding the amount as shall have been determined by the Revenue Mobiisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission”. Section 124(4) provides that “The offices aforesaid are the offices of the Governor; Deputy Governor, Auditor-General for a State and the Chairman and members of the following bodies, that is to say, the State Civil Service Commission, the State Independent Electoral Commission and the State Judicial Service Commission”. In this respect, this section categoricaly empowers the State Assembly to deliberate and pass the reviewed remuneration package from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission’s recommendations into law in their respective States”.
He emphasised the idea of the workshop, saying it was to draw the attention of the stakeholders of the State Executive/Legislature and the Local Government Councils on the need to strictly adhere to the provision of the law in the implementation of the remuneration package.
” The disregard of the Commission’s determined remuneration package for elected Councillors at the Local Government level has remained a point of concern to the Commission Local Government Legislative Councils constitute the Legislative Arm of the third tier.
“Unlike appointed Councillors that form the Executive Council, whose remuneration is to be prescribed by the State House of Assembly based on the recommendations of the Commission, the remuneration of the Legislative arm remains within the realms of the Commission’s constitutional powers.
Accordingly, respect for the remuneration package at all levels of government will go a long way in ensuring good governance and reduce the cost of governance in Nigeria”, he said.
In a welcome address by Mohammed Kabeer, Chairman, renumeration and monetization committee of RMAFC, he reminded officials of states and local government across the country that the commission is vested with determination of remuneration package for Political, Public, and Judicial Office Holders in the country.
“Renumeration for Political, Public, and Judicial Office Holders in the country is one of the core functions of the Commission as provided under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria(as amended)”, he said.
