The leadership of the House of Representatives has explained why the 50 per cent salary reduction of members is yet to be carried out.
Recall that the green chamber had promised to sacrifice 50 per cent of its members’ salaries for six months as a way of identifying with Nigerians over the hardship they are passing through.
However, Nigerians expressed disappointment when a member of the House displayed his July salary on a television without any deduction.
Spokesperson for the house, Akin Rotimi, in a statement on Wednesday said the salary of members of the lower chamber is N600, 000 and not N900, 000 that was revealed by the member.
Rotimi said the house was committed to fulfilling its pledge of salary cut, saying the delay was caused by bureaucracy involved in salary payment.
“It has come to our notice that some media outlets are reporting claims of discrepancies in the salaries of Members of the House of Representatives, suggesting that we received 100% of our July salaries, amounting to N936, 979, despite pledging to donate 50% of N600, 000 for six months to efforts to ameliorate the conditions of our constituents.
“We wish to clarify the following:
“The actual monthly salary for Honourable Members is N600, 000, after deductions for advances such as housing, which are paid at the commencement of the tenure. The Honourable Member who displayed his salary on a TV programme is an exceptional case, as he assumed office through a court decision many months after the on-boarding process was concluded.
“The House of Representatives remains committed to the resolution passed on July 18, 2024, which mandates a 50 percent reduction in the salaries of Honourable Members for six months. We acknowledge and regret that this resolution was not implemented by the bureaucracy as intended for the month of July. Resolutions of the House are ratified when the votes and proceedings of plenary are adopted on the next legislative day. Consequently, the bureaucracy was only formally instructed on July 23, 2024.
“This delay in implementation was thus due to necessary administrative procedures and coordination with financial institutions. Instructions for adjusting salaries have since been issued and will be enforced moving forward to ensure our pledge is fully realized.
“There was nothing to investigate, as some media houses reported, as the House’s position on this matter had been provided to some journalists who had reached out for clarification.
“We appreciate your patience and assure you of our steadfast adherence to our pledge, and sustained efforts to earn the trust and confidence of all Nigerians,” the statement read.
No rift between speaker, deputy over oil committee dissolution — Reps
Also, the House of Representatives has clarified that there is no rift between the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, and his deputy, Benjamin Kalu, following the dissolution of the ad-hoc committee investigating oil theft and the importation of adulterated fuel.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Rotimi Akin, on Wednesday, the House observed that certain media outlets had speculated about tensions following the committee’s dissolution.
Akin stressed that the leadership’s action aimed to ensure the efficacy, independence, and effectiveness of the investigations.
Akin stated, “Some have speculated about a rift between the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, and others have alleged inducement for the appointment of a committee chairman. These claims are baseless. The House’s leadership acted within its rights, as provided by Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which allows the House to regulate its procedures.”
He added that the House reserves the right to dissolve an ad-hoc committee when necessary.
“The dissolution of the ad-hoc committee on Oil and Gas Investigation did not contravene any rule or law. No one received an inducement to appoint a committee chairman. The Selection Committee of the House, comprising members from each state, executed the assignment diligently between June and July 2023,” he said.
Akin further said, “There is no rift whatsoever between the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker. They enjoy a robust and cordial relationship, with mutual respect. The public should disregard the unfounded speculations in some media sections.”
The House spokesperson urged journalists and the Nigerian media to verify their facts before publishing, advising them to crosscheck with appropriate quarters to avoid spreading falsehoods.
“The House operates an open-door policy and remains open to the Nigerian public and the media regarding its activities,” Akin concluded.
