On Thursday, July 18, the House of Representatives resolved to assist the Federal Government with N648 million over six months by reducing their salaries by 50%. This initiative aims to enhance food security and mitigate the high cost of living in Nigeria.
The decision followed an amendment to a motion proposed by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu. He suggested that lawmakers sacrifice half of their N600,000 monthly salaries to help alleviate the economic hardship faced by Nigerians. This amendment was made to a motion by Rep Isiaka Ayokunle, urging those planning nationwide protests to seek dialogue with the government instead.
Kalu emphasized that the salary reduction is intended to support the government’s efforts to reduce food prices and ease the financial strain on citizens. By cutting their salaries in half, the 360 lawmakers will contribute N108 million monthly for the next six months.
The motion was adopted and forwarded to the committees on Humanitarian Affairs, Finance, and Budget for implementation.