Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Akin Rotimi, disclosed on Wednesday that the delay in implementing the 50 percent salary reduction for an initial period of six months was due to necessary administrative procedures and coordination with financial institutions.
Hon. Rotimi made this known via a statement titled “Clarification on the Pledge of 50% of Honourable Members’ Salaries,” which was made available to Parliamentary Correspondents.
He said: “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 program is an exceptional case, as he assumed office through a court decision many months after the onboarding 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.
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“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.”