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Tinubu disowns RMAFC over  114 percent increase in salaries of political office holders

President Tinubu
—- says misinformation contrived to erode people’s goodwill
The Eyewitness Reporter
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has disputed the widespread claims that there has been a 114 percent increase in the salaries of political stakeholders.
It would be recalled that the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has declared that it has increased the salaries of the president, Vice- President, judicial officers and all political office holders by 114 percent.
The Federal Commissioner of the RMAFC, Mr. Hassan Usman, has vehemently defended the decision of the commission to recommend the increase because it was done more than 16 years ago.
However, in a press statement by his media aide, Mr Dele Alake, Tinubu said he has neither approved such a proposal nor such proposal brought to his table.
He considers such proposal as misinformation “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.’
He chastised the media for giving such “fake news” public millage but appealed to them to disregard any information that does not emanate from the government’s official channels.
“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.
“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 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.
However, on Wednesday, Usman had defended the decision of the commission to increase the salaries of political offices holders by 114 percent, including President Bola Tinubu, his vice, Senator Kashim Shettima, federal and state legislators, governors, as well as judicial officers.
But move met strong condemnations from the public, who expected the new administration to cut costs in order to tackle the country’s low revenue and other economic challenges.

But the commission argued that the increment was long overdue, adding that the last time the affected public officials’ salaries were increased was 16 years ago.

Mr. Hassan Usman noted that elected officials and the populace were all confronted with the same economic situation.

The RMAFC is saddled with the responsibility of determining the appropriate remuneration for political office holders, including the President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Ministers, Commissioners, Special Advisers, Legislators and the holders of the offices as mentioned in Sections 84 and 124 of this Constitution.

However, as a result of the recommendation, the commission has called on the 36 states’ Houses of Assembly to hasten efforts on the amendment of relevant laws to give room for upward review of remuneration packages for political, judicial and public officers.

According to the commissioner, “The consumer price index is for everybody; private and the public”, adding that the scenario formed part of their consideration for the increment.

While pointing out that the commission could not fold their hands and watch, “until when the sacrificial lamb is dead or killed”, Usman argued that the salary of Nigeria’s President is one of the lowest when compared and with all the other presidents, adding that the annual salary of the president falls around N7 million.

He, however, clarified that the increment was on only the basic salary of the public officials.

“We didn’t increase the allowances. All we did was increase the basic salary and then of course the allowances are there the way they are, they are only commensurate percentages of the basic salary,” he said.

He further explained that the reviews are in four volumes, involving the federal government and the Federal Capital Territory on one hand and the governors, state legislators as well as local governments on the other.

“Volume one entails the review of the federal government and the FCT, volume two for the state government and the local government, volume three is for the judiciary from top to bottom and volume four; is for the legislature, from the federal legislature to the state and even local government council.

“The volumes are there, we have submitted them, they are just recommendations. We have submitted to the office of Mr President and he is going to take them to the National Assembly for the federal government and FCT and those for the states would be legislated upon by the state houses of assembly”, he added.

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Headlines

Beyond Lagos: The untold realities of Nigeria’s Eastern corridor seaports

Monday Discourse with  Ibrahim Nasiru
When the World Bank and S&P Global recently released the 2025 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), the headlines understandably erupted in celebration.
For Tin Can Island and Apapa to land in the global Top 20 for performance gains is undoubtedly a historic milestone.
Yet, for seasoned maritime analysts and industry stakeholders, a glaring question remains: what about the rest of Nigeria’s coastlines?
While the satellite data accurately captures a localized turnaround in the Lagos pilotage districts, it simultaneously masks a stark regional imbalance.
The narrative of Nigerian maritime modernization cannot begin and end in Lagos.
 To truly turn the tide, the conversation must expand to the Eastern Corridor encompassing Onne Port, Port Harcourt Port, Calabar Port, and Warri Port.
The fundamental issue is that the World Bank’s CPPI relies strictly on automated vessel AIS data tracking.
It registers a win when ship turnaround times shrink at a berth, but it completely shuts out the structural and geographical deficiencies that prevent large vessels from even sailing into Eastern waters in the first place.
Modern deep sea shipping lines require drafts starting at 15 meters.
While multi-billion naira investments and natural depths allow Lagos and the expanding Lekki Deep Sea Port to receive mega-vessels, Calabar Port remains severely hindered by an un-dredged channel hovering around a shallow 6 to 7 meters.
Port Harcourt suffers from similar shallow constraints. Without aggressive, patriotic capital dredging projects, the devils in the details ensure that these regional Ports remain underutilized, regardless of how much digitization is deployed on paper.
It is easy for policymakers to announce massive financial interventions.
Critics are entirely right to point out that the Federal Government’s massive Port modernization plans must yield measurable metrics on the ground, not just political headlines.
However, recent data shows that commercial viability is waiting to be unlocked.
In overall cargo throughput metrics, Onne Port has consistently proven that the Eastern flank possesses massive economic power when given the operational room to breathe.
The roadmap for greenfield developments like the Ibom deep seaport and others exists, but real execution under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework will be the ultimate judge of these investments.
The current operational reality forces an unnatural economic bottleneck.
 Importers in the South-East and South-South regions frequently clear their goods in Lagos, only to transport them across hundreds of kilometers of volatile highways back to Eastern markets.
This layout drives up logistics expenses, completely wiping out the macro efficiencies celebrated in recent National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) trade surplus figures.
The next institutional hurdle for the Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, is the implementation of a unified, cooperative Port development strategy.
This requires more than just launching an electronic call-up system; it demands a deliberate re-alignment of tariff structures that actively incentivizes shipping consortia to divert traffic to regional hubs.
Ultimately, a Port system is only as strong as its weakest link. Celebrating the World Bank validation of Apapa and Tin Can is fair, but treating it as a nationwide victory is premature.
Until the institutional bottlenecks, channel depths, and security challenges of the Eastern Corridor seaports are solved with the same urgency applied to Lagos, Nigeria’s maritime sector will continue running on half its cylinders.
True maritime competitiveness is not won by building an elite logistics island in one state, but by unlocking the full economic potentials of the nation’s entire coastline.
Chief Ibrahim Nasiru, a public affairs Analyst, writes from Abuja
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Features

Beyond Lagos ports: Why NPA should position Eastern ports for global recognition

Chief Nasiru Ibrahim

Monday Discourse with Ibrahim Nasiru focuses on why government should look beyond Lagos ports and position Eastern ports for global recognition.

Our feature last week on the World Bank Top 20 ranking for Tin Can and Apapa Ports sparked an intense industry debate.

The biggest question raised: What about the rest of Nigeria’s coastlines?

Dropping tomorrow morning, June 29th, 2026,we go beyond the Lagos headlines to break down the hidden operational realities of Nigeria’s Eastern Ports.

Don’t miss “Beyond Lagos: The Untold Realities of Nigeria’s Eastern Corridor Seaports”

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Headlines

NIMASA unveils digital portal to fast track Seafarers’ discharge book processing

Gloria Odion, Maritime Reporter

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has intensified its digital transformation drive with the launch of an electronic Seafarer Discharge Book Management Portal, a platform designed to eliminate bureaucratic delays and automate the application, verification and issuance of Seafarers’ Discharge Books.

The portal was unveiled on Thursday, June 25th, 2026 in Lagos as part of activities commemorating the 2026 Day of the Seafarer, themed “Carrying the World Trade, Carrying the Risk.”

The initiative is expected to improve service delivery, strengthen the integrity of seafarers’ documentation and boost the international competitiveness of Nigerian seafarers through a fully digital certification process.

Speaking at the launch, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, described the platform as a major milestone in the Agency’s digital transformation agenda.

“As we celebrate the men and women who keep global trade moving, it is imperative that we also provide them with efficient and secure systems that support their professional development.

“The Seafarer Discharge Book Management Portal eliminates unnecessary bottlenecks, strengthens the integrity of our certification process and reinforces NIMASA’s commitment to the welfare and global competitiveness of Nigerian seafarers,” Mobereola said.

He explained that the portal provides a seamless end-to-end digital process beginning with the verification of applicants’ National Identification Numbers (NIN) through integration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

After successful authentication, applicants create accounts, verify their email addresses through a One-Time Password (OTP), complete live facial capture for identity confirmation and upload mandatory documents, including their Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) certificates and other required credentials.

According to the Director-General, every application is digitally reviewed by the Agency’s Shipping Master, who either approves compliant submissions or returns rejected applications with clear reasons for correction, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the process.
Upon approval of all required documents, applicants can apply for a new, replacement or temporary Seafarer’s Discharge Book, make payment through the integrated online platform and receive an automatically generated unique Seafarer Discharge Book serial number after successful processing.
Mobereola said the fully automated system would significantly reduce processing time, minimise manual intervention and enhance the security, traceability and authenticity of seafarers’ documentation.
“Technology remains central to our vision of building a modern maritime administration that meets international standards.
“This platform is another demonstration of our resolve to deploy innovative solutions that improve regulatory efficiency while delivering better services to Nigerian seafarers and the maritime industry,” he added.
The launch of the portal reinforces NIMASA’s commitment to maritime safety standardisation, digital governance and efficient regulatory service delivery in line with global best practices.

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