The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission on Thursday stressed the need for review of salaries and allowances of public office holders to meet current economic realities facing Nigerians.

The Public Relations Officer of the commission, Mr Ibrahim Mohammed said the salaries were last reviewed in 2007 when President Umaru Yar’Adua directed that his salary as president should be slashed.

“The commission as it was provided in the constitution has the mandate to review from time to time, salaries and allowances of political, public and judicial office holders in the country.

“The last time we had such exercise was in 2007 and now because of the changes in economic realities, we feel it is high time we do something again.

“In this regard, we have already sent out memoranda for input from the general public, including the media, civil society, academia, organised private sector and the three tiers of government.’’

Mohammed urged Nigerians to participate in the exercise.

“We want every Nigerian to take ownership of this review that is why we are seeking citizens’ input into the review exercise.

“Nigerians should feel free to send their views on how the salaries and allowances should look like to our office or through provided email addresses.

“The commission will consider different factors in determining new wages for the affected officers.

“ In doing that, we will consider some factors in determining who gets what; we will look at the economic indices like the Gross Domestic Product.

“We will also look at the price of oil in the international market because what we need to do is to give them a living wage, so that whenever they are in Abuja they will have a meaningful life.’’

Mohammed said the Remuneration Act was a bi-product of the monetisation policy, introduced by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration in 2004.

He said the policy was not meant only for political, public or judicial officers but also for civil servants.

Sections 84 and 124 of the 1999 Constitution empowers the RMAFC to determine the remuneration appropriate for public office holders.

The public officers include the president, vice-president, governors, deputy governors, ministers, commissioners, special advisers and Legislators.