Barely five days after TheNigerian exclusively reported that the House of Representatives had yet to disburse the N540 million saved from lawmakers’ 50% salary cuts over five months, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas has announced that a total of N704.98 million, contributed over six months, will be handed to President Bola Tinubu for distribution to vulnerable Nigerians.
TheNigerian Sunday, a weekly publication, had detailed that 50% of each lawmaker’s monthly basic salary of N600,000—amounting to N300,000—translates to a monthly contribution of N108 million by the entire House, with N540 million accrued over five months. However, National Assembly officials confirmed that the deductions had not yet reached the intended beneficiaries.
Addressing the issue during plenary, Abbas stated that the donation would be formally handed over to President Tinubu on December 31, 2024. He reminded lawmakers of the July 18 resolution, initiated by Deputy Speaker Hon. Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia), mandating members to contribute half of their salaries to support struggling Nigerians amid ongoing economic challenges.
“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,” Abbas said.
He added, “On December 31, I will lead a delegation of House leadership to hand over the money to the President for the exclusive use of vulnerable Nigerians who truly need it. Your contributions reflect the steadfastness and dedication of members to addressing the pressing needs of our people.”
