The House of Representatives has announced plans to donate the sum of ₦704.91 million to support vulnerable Nigerians impacted by economic hardship following the removal of the petrol subsidy.
The donation, which was raised through a six-month, 50 per cent reduction in lawmakers’ salaries, will be handed over to President Bola Tinubu on December 31, 2024.
The Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, disclosed this during Thursday’s plenary session. He stated, “If you recall, about five months ago, we decided to contribute half of our salaries to address the critical needs of the Nigerian people. I am happy to inform you that so far, we have contributed ₦704,907,578.82.”
He continued, “On December 31, I will lead a delegation of leadership to hand over the money to the president for the exclusive use of the vulnerable Nigerians who really need it. The contributions you made highlight the steadfastness and dedication of members to addressing the critical needs of Nigerians.”
The decision to cut lawmakers’ salaries was made on July 18, following the adoption of a motion moved by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu. During that plenary session, Kalu called on his colleagues to show solidarity with ordinary Nigerians facing economic difficulties by sacrificing part of their earnings.
“This government is doing its best, but one year is not enough to address the challenges of this country,” Kalu stated at the time. “I want to plead with our colleagues to sacrifice 50 per cent for a period of six months. Our salary is ₦600,000 a month. I want to plead that we let go of 50 per cent of our salary for a period of six months.”
The House’s move is aimed at addressing the immediate needs of vulnerable Nigerians while demonstrating lawmakers’ commitment to alleviating the nation’s economic challenges. The funds are expected to be used exclusively for the benefit of those most affected by the subsidy removal.
