Members of the House of Representatives on Monday, contributed the total sum of N705 million, amounting to 50% of their basic salaries from July 2024 to December 2024, to support President Bola Tinubu’s initiative to assist vulnerable Nigerians.
Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, who disclosed this during the breaking of Ramadan fast with the President and the Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa, said the donation was their way of showing Nigerians that their representatives also felt the hardship they are going through and understood what they were facing.
The Speaker noted that the Reps were very much concerned about the hardship and poverty in the country as a result of what he termed the bold policies of the President but however, assured that in no distant time, the steps will begin to yield fruits.
He stated that the donation was meant to assist the Tinubu administration in addressing the economic situation in the country, adding that the resolution of the House was sequel to a motion of urgent importance for “An appeal to the proponents of the proposed nationwide protest, to maintain peace, eschew violence and open windows for meaningful engagements with the governments at all levels in order to address their issues.”
The motion, according to Abbas, was sponsored by the member representing Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency, Ogun State, Ibrahim Isiaka, during plenary.
“The House decided on our own that we need to do something symbolic to show our concern to the entire people of Nigeria that the predicament they were in, we also felt it,” the Speaker said while making the donation.
“And because of that, we took a resolution that from July 2024 to December 2024, we will sacrifice 50% of our basic salaries so I will now set that money aside and contribute and donate to you, so that you can also use it to look at the targeted areas in Nigeria where we have vulnerable people who I need of food, shelter, accommodation, clothing and what have you.
“We leave it to you to decide on where and where you want to intervene. But it is a symbolic contribution from the house to show you, as well as show the whole entire nation, that the passage of that particular period was being felt by each and every one of us.
“Your Excellency, I’m happy to inform you that the House contributed the sum of 705 million naira, being the 50% of our monthly salary for a period of six months,” he added.
