Revenue Mobilisation And Fiscal Committee Sets 2020 For Politicians' Pay Cut

The Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Committee has said it will review the salaries of political office holders in 2020 .

The Chairman , RMAFC , Mr Elias Mbam , while speaking at a retreat for the members of the commission in Lagos on Monday , said the remuneration review was necessary to reflect the current realities .

According to him, the commission will continue to support and promote the diversification programme of the government .

Mbam implored government at all levels to continue to support agricultural development and invest in the development of solid minerals as a means of diversifying the sources of revenue .

He said doing this would help the government to meet the increasing expenditure requirement of governance and development .

He stated that the commission also carried out reconciliation and verification of revenue collections from revenue, collecting agencies on behalf of the Federal Inland Revenue Service and Nigeria Customs Service .

The RMAFC boss noted that over N 75 bn had been recovered in the process, adding that the commission would continue to intensity efforts in that regard .

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha , charged the commission to come up with positive approaches to the effective diversification of the revenue base of the government .

Mustapha , who was represented by the Permanent Secretary , Political and Economic Affairs in the OSGF , Gabriel Aduda , said the culture of dependence on statutory transfers from the federation account was no longer sustainable .

He said the culture was also increasingly becoming a source of worry , particularly when considering the decline in the quantum and demand for crude oil , upon which a greater percentage of resources were derived.

He called on the commission to double its efforts in ensuring that all revenue generated were monitored and promptly remitted into the federation account as provided for by relevant laws and guidelines .

Mustapha added that the commission should beef up its advisory role to the three tiers of government on improving their respective revenue drivers and to also ensure that the remunerations of political and public office holders in the country were reasonable and sustainable .

The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo - Olu , advised the commission to review the parameters being used to determine revenue allocation to state and local governments .

He said, “ Lagos State will like to see a review that accurately reflects existing national and sub -national realities , which plays up the issue of population density in Lagos State .

“ There is also the need to sustain our fiscal policy regime and further strengthen it as part of strategies to increase the tax component of revenue .”

Sanwo - Olu stated that the tax policy must be progressive to reflect present realities and also align with best global practices .