The Senate has called on the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC to publish the salaries, allowances and remuneration packages of lawmakers and other public office holders, including ministers and political appointees, to promote transparency and correct public misconceptions about government earnings.
Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, made the call while reacting to a recent Federal High Court judgement which declared as unlawful the National Assembly’s controversial N110 billion vehicle procurement and allowance schemes.
The judgement, delivered in a suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, held that the expenditure violated procurement laws, constitutional provisions and the public trust, describing the spending as arbitrary, disproportionate and inconsistent with statutory procurement standards.
The controversy surrounding the vehicle procurement scheme comes at a time of severe economic hardship across the country.
Since the removal of fuel subsidy and the devaluation of the naira, millions of Nigerians have struggled with rising food prices, high transportation costs and declining purchasing power.
Against this backdrop, reports of lawmakers approving billions of naira for official vehicles sparked public outrage, with many citizens questioning government spending priorities amid widespread poverty and hunger.
Civil society groups and economic analysts have argued that such expenditures create the impression of a disconnect between political office holders and the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians.
The issue has continued to fuel demands for greater transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
The Senate Leader defended the provision of official vehicles to lawmakers, stressing that the vehicles are government assets meant for official duties and constituency engagements rather than personal benefits.
Bamidele noted that similar official vehicles are provided to other categories of public servants, including directors, permanent secretaries and ministers, to enable them carry out their responsibilities.
He further stated that criticism of parliaments is not unique to Nigeria, explaining that legislatures across the world often attract scrutiny because of their constitutional oversight functions over the executive arm of government.
Responding to the court ruling, Bamidele argued that greater transparency regarding the remuneration of public office holders would help address public misconceptions about lawmakers’ earnings and benefits.
According to him, many Nigerians assume legislators earn far more than they actually receive because details of their remuneration are not publicly available.
He maintained that lawmakers do not determine their own salaries and allowances, noting that such decisions are exclusively made by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
To address recurring controversies surrounding lawmakers welfare packages, Bamidele urged the RMAFC to publicly disclose the remuneration of all public office holders, including members of the National Assembly, ministers, political appointees and other government officials.
He said such a move would settle public debate on the issue once and for all and enhance transparency in governance.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
