Against an earlier report that the Federal Government is considering increasing the salaries of government officials at the federal and state levels by 114 percent, a statement from the office of the president has revealed the federal government currently has no plan of increasing public holders’ salaries and the president has never received or approved any of such proposition.
The Special Adviser, Special Duties, Communications & Strategy to the president, Mr. Dele Alake, who issued the press statement yesterday at the presidential villa in Abuja, described the news of the salary increase of government officials as not only false but an attempt to smear the new administration which has been gaining momentum and goodwill. Mr. Aleke therefore challenged journalists and media houses to do a thorough investigation of stories before putting them out to the public in order to avert undue public panic.
The statement from the presidency reads as follows:
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“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 recognize that it is within the constitutional remit of Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to propose and fix salaries and allowances of political office holders and Judicial Officers, such cannot 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.’’