Nigerian lawmakers slash salaries to support food sufficiency, call against nationwide protests
Members of the Nigerian House of Representatives has promised to contribute N648 million to support the Federal Government’s food sufficiency efforts over the next six months.
This decision comes after the lawmakers unanimously agreed to cut their monthly salaries by 50%, from N600,000 to N300,000, in response to the country’s food crisis and economic hardship.
The move was initiated by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who amended a motion by Ibrahim Isiaka from Ogun State, urging lawmakers to sacrifice a portion of their salaries to support the Nigerian people.
The amendment also encouraged proponents of planned nationwide protests to engage in dialogue with the government instead.
Nigeria has been battling a rising food crisis with the country’s rate of inflation jumping to a new 28-year high of 34.19% in annual terms in June, official data showed on Monday.
June’s data marked the 19th straight month that inflation had risen in Africa’s most populous nation, up from 33.95% in May.
Recent policies introduced by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of petrol and electricity subsidies and the devaluation of the naira currency twice in a year, have significantly contributed to the surge in prices.
His reforms have had a devastating impact on low-income households, exacerbating the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades and leaving millions of Nigerians struggling to make ends meet.
