JUST-IN: Reps to present N704.91m half salary to Tinubu as support to vulnerable Nigerians

The House of Representatives has announced plans to allocate N704.91 million to aid vulnerable Nigerians affected by the economic hardships following the removal of fuel subsidies.

The funds will be formally presented to President Bola Tinubu on December 31, 2024.

This initiative follows a resolution made on July 18, 2024, where the House agreed to slash 50% of lawmakers’ salaries for six months to help alleviate the challenges faced by ordinary citizens.

The resolution was adopted during a plenary session as part of efforts to address the growing economic strain on Nigerians.

The subsidy removal, which significantly increased petrol prices, has had widespread effects on the cost of living, prompting various government interventions aimed at cushioning the impact.

Addressing his colleagues during Thursday’s plenary, Mr Speaker said, “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 N704,907,578.82.

“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.”.

Following a motion by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, the House, in July, resolved to donate half of their salaries to meet the hunger need of Nigerians as part of efforts to stop the end bad governance protest.

While moving the motion, Kalu said, “This government is doing its best, but one year is not enough to address the challenges of this country. I want to plead with our colleagues to sacrifice 50 per cent for a period of six months.

“Our salary is N600,000 a month. I want to plead that we let go of 50 per cent of our salary for a period of six months.”