Gbajabiamila said the lumping of lawmakers’ salaries and allowances has generated great controversy in the country over the actual pay of the lawmakers.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said that contrary to public opinion lawmakers do not take home both salaries and allowances.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja, Gbajabiamila urged the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to educate Nigerians on the distinction between salaries and allowances of legislators.
He made the appeal while receiving a RMAFC delegation led by the chairman, Muhammad Shehu, at the National Assembly.
Gbajabiamila said the lumping of lawmakers’ salaries and allowances has generated great controversy in the country over the actual pay of the lawmakers.
“The allowances are tied to sundry duties or work of the office of a lawmaker like maintaining a constituency office, while the salary is the actual pay he earns as a legislator.
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“You need to explain to the public the difference between salaries and allowances. A lot of people lump them together and call them our take-home package. Salary is different and allowances are meant for many other issues,” Gbajabiamila said.
He assured RMAFC of support by the National Assembly towards strengthening it to deliver its mandate of mobilising revenue for the government.
Gbajabiamila said since no country could go far in terms of development without revenue, it was the priority of the House to ensure that RMAFC perform its duties optimally.
“It is revenue that takes a country from point to point. For any country that wants to grow, revenue is key to nation-building.
“That is why RMAFC is an essential component of the government in this country,” he stated.