As Nigeria battles with the scourge of economic hardship, many of her citizens have continued to demand for more sacrifices and tightening of proverbial belts by public office holders and politicians alike in order to cut the cost of governance.
It is no longer news that some of the expenditures and plans of the Federal Government are raising dust in the polity. it is against this backdrop that Nigerians have ceaseless expressed their displeasure with the ostentatious lifestyle of some politicians amid the rising wave of hunger across the country.
This statement was made on Wednesday, August 7, in Abuja, where Rotimi also reaffirmed the House’s commitment to a 50 per cent salary reduction to mitigate economic hardship.
“The House of Representatives has been inundated by some media outlets reporting claims of discrepancies in members’ salaries, suggesting that we received 100 per cent of our July salaries. The report claimed that our salary amounted to N936,979,” Rotimi stated.
He explained that after deductions for advances such as housing, the actual monthly salary is ₦600,000.
Rotimi also noted that the member who displayed his salary on a TV programme was an exceptional case, as he assumed office through a court decision many months after the onboarding process had concluded.
According to Rotimi, the House remains committed to the resolution passed on July 18, which stipulated a 50 per cent reduction in the salaries of members for six months.
“We acknowledge and regret that this resolution was not implemented by the bureaucracy, as intended, for the month of July,” he said.
The formal instruction to the bureaucracy was only issued on July 23, following the adoption of the votes and proceedings of the plenary on the next legislative day.
Rotimi maintained that the delay in implementing the salary reduction was as a result of necessary administrative procedures and coordination with financial institutions.
He assured that instructions for adjusting members’ salaries had been issued and would be enforced moving forward to ensure the pledge was fully implemented.
“There is nothing to investigate, as some media houses reported. The House’s position on this matter had been provided to some journalists who had reached out for clarification,” Rotimi added.
While calling for patience among the public, Rotimi assured of the House’s steadfast adherence to its pledge and sustained efforts to earn the trust and confidence of all Nigerians.
