Five months after members of the House of Representatives began contributing 50 per cent of their basic salaries to lessen the hardship faced by poor Nigerians, the money has yet to be disbursed to the intended beneficiaries.
In July this year, the 360 members of the Lower Chamber of the National Assembly (NASS) volunteered 50 per cent of their basic salaries for six months for the well-being of suffering Nigerians following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidy and naira devaluation on the assumption of office on May 29, 2023.
So far, the lawmakers have contributed over N500 million.
LEADERSHIP Sunday’s investigation revealed that 50 per cent of each lawmaker’s basic salary of N600,000 per month translates to N300,000 per month. This implies that the whole House would contribute N108 million monthly and N540 million for the five months already covered.
The exercise, which lasts six months, will end this December. Except for the death of three members of the Green Chamber and the declaration of the seat of a former member and now deputy governor of Edo State, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, vacant, the entire amount at the conclusion of the initiative would have amounted to N648 million.
Some senior officials of the National Assembly bureaucracy confirmed to LEADERSHIP Sunday that the total amount deducted from the lawmakers’ salaries had not been disbursed to the targeted beneficiaries.
They also admitted that effective July this year, 50 per cent of the legislators’ basic salaries had been deducted for five months.
One of the officials said the money so far deducted was kept in a “dedicated account”.
The official said the resolution of the House to cut 50 percent of its members’ salaries for six months in solidarity with Nigerians was being implemented.
He said the last tranche of the lawmakers’ donation for the wellbeing of Nigerians worst-hit by the removal of fuel subsidy would be made by the end of December.
About 91.9 million Nigerians are currently living under extreme poverty and the figure is predicted to rise to 93.7 million by end of 2025.
Since the removal of fuel subsidy and the introduction of other painful economic measures by the current administration, inflation has spiked. The prices of food items, fares, drugs and other essentials have skyrocketed.
It is against this background that the House took the resolution to assist poor Nigerians by sacrificing half of their salaries for six months
Sadly, the lawmakers’ goal is being defeated as the modalities for its disbursement have not been made public while the money is saved in a “dedicated account.”
On July 18, 2024, the House had adopted an amendment to a motion of urgent public importance proposed by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia), that lawmakers should contribute 50 per cent of their monthly salary of N6O0,000 to assist Nigerians during “these challenging times.”
NASS officials told LEADERSHIP Sunday on condition of anonymity that despite the initial delay, at the end of July the salary slash had been ongoing and would end with December salaries.
One of them said what was being taken was from the basic salaries of the lawmakers.
He said, “The 50 percent that is being cut since July up to November and will hopefully end in December is the basic salary of the members of the House of Representatives. Their allowances are intact.
“…It is not in my authority to tell you how much is the salary of the lawmakers. You can find out from them. What I can tell you is that the resolution, after the initial delay due to bureaucratic bottlenecks, is being implemented up to date,” the source said.
Another source also confided in our correspondent that while the salaries of the lawmakers were being cut, their allowances had been increased within the same period.
He said, “The decision of the House of Representatives members that 50 per cent of their salary be cut to support the masses has been implemented. But it will interest you to know that while that is going on, their allowances have been increased, so it has no effect on them.
“What has been cut from their basic salary is not close to what has been added to their allowances. So, I can tell you that they have lost little or nothing at all. Be that as it may, their action is still patriotic; at least they have shown concern for the plight of Nigerians,” the official said.
The spokesperson of the House, Hon. Akin Rotimi (APC, Ekiti), had in August said the delay in implementing the 50 per cent lawmakers’ salary slash for an initial period of six months was due to necessary administrative procedures and coordination with some financial institutions.
He said, “It has come to our notice that some media outlets are reporting claims of discrepancies in the salaries of members of the House, suggesting that we received 100 per cent of our July salaries, amounting to N936,979, despite pledging to donate 50 per cent of N600,000 for six months to efforts to ameliorate the conditions of our constituents.
“We wish to clarify the following: The actual monthly salary for Honourable Members is N600,000 after deductions for advances such as housing, which are paid at the commencement of the tenure.
“The House of Representatives remains committed to the resolution passed on July 18, 2024, which mandates a 50 per cent reduction in the salaries of Honourable Members for six months. We acknowledge and regret that this resolution was not implemented by the bureaucracy as intended for the month of July.
“Resolutions of the House are ratified when the votes and proceedings of plenary are adopted on the next legislative day. Consequently, the bureaucracy was only formally instructed on July 23, 2024.
“This delay in implementation was thus due to necessary administrative procedures and coordination with financial institutions. Instructions for adjusting salaries have since been issued and will be enforced moving forward to ensure our pledge is fully realised,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, the House spokesperson, Hon. Akin Rotimi (APC, Ekiti) and his deputy, Hon. Philip Agbese, had not responded to inquiries by LEADERSHIP Sunday on the matter and others.
