The pay cut for public and political office holders proposed by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in February will take effect at the end of this month. Yar’Adua had, in a proposal to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), requested a downward review of the remuneration packages of public officers across the country to reflect the dwindling oil revenues.
Details of the new scheme show that for the President and Vice-President, the 300 per cent severance pay has been cancelled because both are entitled to pensions for life by virtue of Section 84 Sub-section 5 of the Constitution. In addition, the hardship allowance for both was reduced from 50 per cent to 30 per cent.

For the National Assembly, the number in the fleet of vehicles for the Senate President is reduced from eight to six, while that of the Speaker of the House of Representatives is now reduced from seven to six. For the Senators, their constituency allowance has been reduced from 250 per cent of their annual basic salary to 125 per cent. That of members of the House of Representatives is reduced from 150 per cent to 75 per cent.