Reps slash salaries by 50% over nationwide hunger

Members of the House of Representatives have agreed to cut their salaries by 50 percent for six months as part of their solidarity and sacrifice to support the economic hardship and hunger Nigerians are going through at the moment.

This followed the adoption of an amendment to a motion’s prayer moved by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, on the need for lawmakers to sacrifice 50% of their N600,000 monthly salaries to support Nigerians in view of the hardship in the land.

Kalu’s amended prayer was to a motion by Rep Isiaka Ayokunle calling on proponents of the planned nationwide protests to jettison the idea and engage the government in dialogue.

The deputy Speaker said the salary cut is to be used to support federal government’s efforts to address rising cost of foodstuffs in the country with the view to ameliorating the hardship Nigerians are going through.

Daily Trust reports that by slashing their salaries by 30%, the 360 lawmakers will be sacrificing N108 million monthly for the next six months.

The motion was adopted and referred to the committees on Humanitarian Affairs, Finance and Budget for compliance.