Reps To Present N704.91m Salaries Donation To Tinubu For Vulnerable Nigerians

Abuja, Nigeria- The House of Representatives is set to present N704.91 million, representing half-year salaries donated by lawmakers, to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on December 31, 2024.

The funds are earmarked for alleviating the economic hardship faced by vulnerable Nigerians due to the removal of the petrol subsidy.

This initiative was from a resolution passed in July 2024 following a motion by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.

The House unanimously agreed to donate half of their salaries to address hunger and economic distress across the nation.

The move was also aimed at calming the #EndBadGovernance protests that erupted earlier this year over rising living costs and perceived economic mismanagement.

While presenting the motion, Kalu stated, “This government is doing its best, but one year is not enough to tackle the challenges facing the country. I urge my colleagues to make a sacrifice by cutting 50 percent of our salaries for the next six months.”

“Our monthly salary is N600,000, and I ask that we forgo half of it for the next six months,” he added.

Speaking to his colleagues during Thursday’s plenary, Speaker Tajudeen Abba remarked, “About five months ago, we agreed to contribute half of our salaries to meet the urgent needs of Nigerians. I’m pleased to report that we have collectively contributed N704,907,578.82 so far.”

“On December 31, I will lead a delegation of leadership to present these funds to the President for the sole purpose of aiding vulnerable Nigerians who are in dire need.”

“The contributions made by all members reflect their unwavering commitment to addressing the pressing needs of our citizens.”

On July 18, the House had resolved to reduce their salaries by 50 percent for six months to help alleviate the hardships faced by ordinary Nigerians, following the adoption of a motion during a plenary session.