14/08/2023
Recess Allowance is not illegal:
See what Lawmakers take home
Abasifreke Effiong
I have read reports and comments about Senator Godswill Akpabio's parapraxis during a sitting of the Senate on Wednesday. Akpabio had informed his colleagues in that a token has been paid into their accounts by the Clerk for their recess. He immediately retracted his announcement.
Discussions on the issue have generated huge traffic for social media content creators and media outlets. Some Nigerians were quick to say that the allowance is illegal. It is not. Recess Allowance is legal. Somewhere on Facebook on Friday morning, I saw figures, in millions, purportedly being paid as Recess Allowance to federal lawmakers.
Remuneration, that is salaries and allowances, of political officers is determined by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). There is an Act stipulating what should be paid and how much, to all public officers. This is stated in a federal Law which can be cited as, Certain Political and Judicial Officers Salaries and Allowances Act 2008 (as Amended). Any allowance not listed by name in that Law is illegal. Recess Allowance is listed among the allowances.
In RMAFC's Remuneration Package for Political, Public and Judicial Officers 2007 - 2009, which is still the benchmark, Recess Allowance is 10 percent of the Annual Basic Salary (ABS) of the lawmakers. And it is paid ones a year.
The annual basic salary of the Senate President is N2, 484, 242: 50 Kobo (Two million, four hundred and eighty-four thousand, two hundred and forty-two Naira, fifty Kobo). (Note: This document is online on RMAFC website, and it's downloadable).
Consequently, as stated in the package, the Senate President's recess allowance is two hundred and forty-eight thousand, four hundred and twenty-eight Naira, twenty-five Kobo (N248, 428. 25K).
Deputy President of the Senate gets, two hundred and thirty thousand, nine hundred and sixteen Naira, seventy Kobo (N230,916.70 K). Senators get, two hundred and two thousand, six hundred and forty Naira (N202,640.00).
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is entitled to two hundred and forty-seven thousand, seven hundred and eleven Naira (N247, 711.00.) The Deputy Speaker's entitlement is, two hundred and eighty-eight thousand, seven hundred and three Naira, forty-three Kobo (N288,703.43). The amount accruing to the Deputy Speaker is N41,000 more than that of the Speaker. I have drawn the attention of our State (Akwa Ibom) representative at RMAFC to this.
Each member of the House of Representatives is entitled to one hundred and ninety-eight thousand, five hundred and twelve Naira, twenty-five Kobo (N198,521.25K.).
Recess Allowance is the equivalence of leave grant received by Governors. Civil servants also receive leave grant.
The RMAFC document also stipulates how much House of Assembly Speaker and members are entitled to. Under the sub-head "leave allowance" the Speaker is entitled to N163,987.50K.
Deputy Speaker's own is N144,598.25K. Other members are entitled to N133,722.50K.
At the local government, the Leader of the legislature is entitled to N81,130; Deputy Leader -N81,000; other councilors - 76,007.60K
