President Bola Tinubu has not approved any salary increase and no such proposal has been brought before him for consideration, the Presidency said on Thursday.
Addressing the issue of a purported 114% salary increase of the President, Vice President elected federal and state political office holders and judicial officers, the Special Adviser on Special Duties, Information and Strategy Mr Dele Alake said the viral story of the purported increase in the salary is false.
He said: “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.”
Alake in a statement explained that 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 cannot come to effect until it has 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.