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No Presidential Approval For 114% Salary Increase For Political Office Holders, Judicial Officers – Presidency
Eko Hot Blog reports that the Nigerian Presidency has dismissed reports of a 114% increase in the salary of President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, other political office holders, and judicial officers.
On Thursday, there were reports in some sections of the media that the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) had raised the salaries and allowances of political office holders and Judicial Officers by 114%.
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Although the RMAFC truly made the proposal, Eko Hot Blog gathered it needed the approval of the president to take off.
In a statement issued on Thursday afternoon, the president’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, said his principal has not approved the proposal as being insinuated in certain quarters.
Alake, who argued that the misinformation was contrived to create ill-will for the new administration, reiterated that the proposed salary increase cannot come into effect until Tinubu has considered and approved it.
“We have followed with consternation the viral story of the purported 114% increase in the salary of the President, Vice President, elected Federal and State political office holders and judicial officers,” Alake said.
“We state without any equivocation that President Bola Tinubu has not approved any salary increase, and no such proposal has been brought before him for consideration.
“While we recognise that it is within the constitutional remit of Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to propose and fix salaries and allowances of political office holders and Judicial Officers, such can not come to effect until it has equally been considered and approved by the President.
“It is important to note that RMAFC, through its Public Relations Manager, has responded to this fake story being circulated and has already set the record straight.
“However, that this unfounded story gained prominence on social media and in a section of mainstream media, again, brings to the fore the danger fake news poses to the society and our national well-being.
“The misinformation was, obviously, contrived to create ill-will for the new administration, slow down the upward momentum and massive goodwill the Tinubu-led administration is currently enjoying among Nigerians as a result of its fast paced, dynamic and progressive policies.
“It is important to reiterate to journalists, media managers, and members of the public that stories on government activities and policy issues that do not emanate from approved official communication channels should be ignored.
“Media practitioners are enjoined to, at all times, cross-check their stories to ensure accurate reportage, which is the hallmark of responsible journalism.”
FURTHER READING
The reports of the 114% salary increase for political office holders had sparked widespread outrage as critics wondered why the minimum wage was still stuck at N30,000.
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