Average CBN worker earns more than ministers — RMAFC Chief

The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Alhaji Muhammed Shehu, has claimed that an average CBN worker earns more than Nigerian ministers.

Shehu made the announcement in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

He noted that political office holders in Nigeria do not earn outrageous emoluments as speculated by Nigerians.

Recall Nigerians recently condemned reports on a proposed 114 per cent increase in salaries of political office holders by the commission, amidst what they described as biting economic hardships in the country.

Shehu described information about the salary increase as not true.

He, however, said that it was the constitutional responsibility of RMAFC to determine and review the salaries of executive, legislative and judicial officers.

He said that their salaries were last reviewed in 2007.

“From 2008 till date there had not been any single review.

“Last year, some individuals took the Federal Government to court. These were some activists concerned about the salaries of judicial officers.

“In the court, the judge ruled that a judge should be paid about N10 million a month, that was the court ruling, ” he said.

He said that the commission would not contemplate the speculated increase now, considering the prevailing economic challenges faced by Nigerians.

“I want to disabuse the minds of Nigerians. It is not true that people are getting jumbo salaries.

“The monthly salary of Mr President is less than N1.5 million; that of a minister is not even up to one million naira.

“I know of an average CBN worker that is not even a director, who earns more than a minister”.