Nigerian Lawmakers Demand Higher Salaries, Allowances After Subsidy Removal

VAM News Update

Members of the House of Representatives are demanding an increase in their salary and allowances as a result of the removal of fuel subsidies and the country’s current economic predicament.

The demand was the result of a discussion amongst MPs on July 11 following an executive session during plenary.

Members’ complaints over pay and allowances led the House into executive session to defuse tensions.

The members had also sought from the Speaker, Rep. Tajudeen Abass, the reason for the delay in payment of their salaries and allowances, which had forced some of them to take out loans.

However, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting but requested anonymity since he was not entitled to remark on the conclusion of the executive session disputed the rumour.

Refuting the rumours, the politician stated that they just warned the speaker that their pay and allowances could no longer fulfil the demands of their position and that a review was required.

“So nobody talked about any money or whether we have been paid or not,” the lawmaker explained.

Their proposal stems from the country’s existing economic realities, which has resulted in hardship and an increase in the price of products and services, according to the source.

The member stated that, while the speaker made no promises on salary and allowance reviews, such a request could only be accommodated in the budget following due process.

On the other hand, the speaker informed his colleagues that their decision on a salary and allowance review was not included in the 2023 budget.

According to the source, the speaker made no promises and stated that “we all know the situation in the country; we are all facing the same problem.”

Meanwhile, to mitigate the impact of the loss of gasoline subsidies, President Bola Tinubu wrote a communication to the House of Representatives on July 12 asking an amendment to the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act.

The amendment includes N500 billion towards palliative care for Nigerians.

In the letter, Tinubu said the request was required to allow the government to provide palliatives for Nigerians in order to mitigate the effects of the elimination of fuel subsidies.

NAN