Growing Hardship: Reps Slash Salaries by 50% Amid Growing Hardship

In response to the increasing hunger and frustration faced by citizens, members of the House of Representatives have resolved to reduce their salaries by 50 percent for the next six months. The decision followed the adoption of an amendment to a motion’s prayer proposed by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Okezie Kalu. Kalu emphasized the need for lawmakers to sacrifice 50% of their N600,000 monthly salaries to support struggling Nigerians. Kalu explained that the salary reduction aims to aid the federal government in combating the escalating cost of foodstuffs and alleviate the hardships faced by the populace. The Deputy Speaker’s amended prayer was to a motion by Rep Isiaka Ayokunle calling on proponents of the planned nationwide protests to throwaway the idea and engage the government in a dialogue. Note that the prices of food items, transportation, electricity tariff amongst other have greatly skyrocketed and is still increasing on a daily basis. Recalled that the Organised Labour have been at loggerheads with the government of President Bola Tinubu over the increase of salaries for workers. Agreeing to cut down their salaries by 50 percent the 360 lawmakers will be forfeiting about N108 million monthly for the next six months. The motion was unanimously adopted by lawmakers through a voice vote and referred to the committees on Humanitarian Affairs, Finance and Budget for compliance.

FG commences payment of ASUU’s withheld salaries

The Federal Government has commenced the payment of the withheld salaries of academics under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.  Multiple sources in the academic sector confirmed the development to our correspondent in Abuja on Monday. The chairperson, ASUU at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof. Gbolahan Bolarin, who confirmed the development on the record, said, “Yes, it is true. Payment has started rolling in.” President Bola Tinubu Tinubu had in October 2023 approved the release of four of the eight months’ ASUU withheld salaries of the workers. The salaries were withheld when the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari invoked a ‘No Work, No Pay policy’ against some university-based unions that embarked on a strike that lasted eight months in 2022. The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, recently said the government has increased the university workers’ salaries by 35 per cent. The minister also said the government has granted autonomy to the universities by removing them from the Integrated Payment and Payroll Information System . He added that the universities no longer need a waiver to recruit and fill their vacancies. These resolutions were reached through informal consultations with the unions based in the tertiary institutions, Mamman said.

Kano: Gov Yusuf suspends salaries of 10,800 workers

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State has directed the Accountant General of the State to stop the salaries of over 10,800 workers employed by former governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s administration, pending investigations. Mr. Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, the Accountant General of the state, made this known to newsmen in Kano. Abdulsalam said the affected staff were employed at the twilight of the previous administration. He said that a Committee has been set up to investigate their engagement in the civil service, assuring that the outcome of the finding will play a role in their fate. The accountant general also announced the suspension of transfers made by the previous government within the civil service against existing rules, adding that the status quo ante should be maintained by the affected government officials. Abdulsalam however expressed the readiness of the new administration to pay workers salary by the 25th of every month, as he revealed that pension and gratuity would be paid to retired workers as when due. He also disclosed that the new administration would operate a single account to ensure financial discipline.