According to the Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the legislators in the House of Representatives are urging for an increase in their wages and benefits in light of the elimination of fuel subsidy and the prevailing economic conditions in the nation.
It has been reported that this request emerged as a result of a meeting conducted by the lawmakers on July 11, after entering into an executive session during the plenary.
In response to the grievances expressed by the legislators regarding their remuneration and benefits, the House convened an executive session to allete the tension.
Moreover, the lawmakers approached Speaker Tajudeen Abass to inquire about the reason behind the delay in disbursing their salaries and allowances, which led some of them to seek loans.
However, a parliamentarian who attended the meeting, desiring anonymity due to restrictions on discussing the executive session’s outcomes, clarified that their discussions solely revolved around salary increments and not the issue of delayed payments.
The legislator conveyed that they simply informed the speaker about the insufficiency of their salaries and allowances in meeting the demands of their responsibilities, thereby emphasizing the need for a thorough assessment.
“The discussion did not involve any specific monetary figures or the status of our payments,” clarified the lawmaker.
According to the source, their appeal stemmed from the prevailing economic circumstances after the removal of subsidies, which have resulted in severe hardships and exorbitant prices of goods and services throughout the country.
The legislator stated that the speaker did not make any commitments regarding the revision of their salaries and allowances, as such a request could only be considered through the proper budgetary procedures.
As per the lawmaker, the speaker did inform colleagues that their appeal for a revision in salaries and allowances was not included in the 2023 budget.
As per the informant, the speaker was unable to make any commitments since, as they stated, “We are all aware of the state of affairs in the country; we are all confronting the same predicament.”
The Revenue Mobilization, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the body responsible for determining the salaries and allowances of public officials, had suggested a 100 percent raise in the remuneration of public servants.
However, the endorsement is still pending approval from the president and inclusion in the budget.
In the interim, to mitigate the impact of fuel subsidy removal, the House of Representatives received a letter from President Bola Tinubu on July 12. The communication entailed a request for an amendment to the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act.
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