Kano Senator Reveals Shocking N21m Monthly Take-Home Pay

(iexclusivenews) – Kano Senator Sumaila Kawu, has disclosed that his monthly take-home package as a lawmaker representing Kano South exceeds N21 million.

This revelation comes on the heels of a statement by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) claiming that senators receive a significantly lower amount.

The RMAFC Chairman, Mohammed Shehu, had recently stated that each of the 109 senators in the upper chamber receives a total of N1.06 million in salary and allowances per month.

According to Shehu’s disclosure, this would amount to N12.72 million annually per senator, with the Federal Government spending a total of N1.4 billion yearly on all senators.

A breakdown of the monthly earnings, as provided by the RMAFC, includes;

1. A basic salary of N168,866.70.

2. Motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance allowance of N126,650.00.

3. Personal assistant, N42,216:66.

4. Domestic staff,126,650:00.

5. Entertainment, N50,660:00.

6. utilities, N50,660:00.

7. Newspapers/periodicals, N25,330:00.

8. Wardrobe, N42,216,66:00.

9. House maintenance, N8,443.33:00.

10. Constituency allowance, N422,166:66.

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Lawmakers’ Earnings Spark Controversy

However, Senator Kawu’s revelation in an interview with the British Broadcasting Hausa Service (BBC) paints a drastically different picture.

While confirming that his monthly salary is indeed around N1 million, Kawu stated that his total take-home pay reaches a staggering N21 million, a figure that far exceeds the RMAFC’s quoted amounts.

The senator explained,

“The amount of salary I receive per month is less than N1m, if there are cuts, it comes back to about six hundred thousand naira and a little something as salary.”

He added that there are usually some deductions made by the RMAFC.

This disclosure has reignited the ongoing debate about the true earnings of federal lawmakers in Nigeria.

The issue gained traction last week when former President Olusegun Obasanjo criticized lawmakers for fixing their own salaries and emoluments during a meeting with members of the House of Representatives in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Obasanjo accused the lawmakers of deciding their own pay and allowances, including newspaper allowances, stating,

“It is immoral, (yet) you are doing it, the Senate is doing it, and you are beating your chests about it.”

Adding fuel to the fire, former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, had previously disclosed that each Senator receives a monthly running cost of N13.5 million in addition to the N750,000 prescribed by the commission.

The Senate has since refuted Obasanjo’s claims, labeling them as lies.

However, Senator Kawu’s recent revelation has cast doubt on the official figures provided by the RMAFC and reignited public interest in the true earnings of Nigerian lawmakers.

What You Should Know 

As this controversy unfolds, many Nigerians are calling for greater transparency in the remuneration of public officials.

The significant discrepancy between the RMAFC’s figures and Senator Kawu’s disclosure raises questions about the accuracy of official reports and the need for a more comprehensive review of lawmakers’ compensation packages.

This ongoing debate highlights the importance of accountability in public service and the need for clear, transparent reporting of government expenditures.

As the nation grapples with economic challenges, the issue of lawmakers’ earnings remains a contentious topic that demands further scrutiny and public discourse.