If this is implemented, the sum of N66, 485,462 would be removed from all the 109 senators’ salary. They will now earn N1, 418,480 as basic annual salary against the previous N2, 026,400 as contained in the reviewed remuneration package for the legislature at the federal, state and local government levels, Daily Trust reports.
The Senate president, Bukola Saraki who earns higher than his colleagues will now earn N1,738,969 as against his present N2,484,242.50 while the deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, will now get an annual basic salary of N1, 616,416 against N2, 309,166.
Saraki had inaugurated the adhoc committee following the outcry that trailed the N150 billion budgeted for the National Assembly in this year’s budget, which was later reduced to N120 billion.
The senators allowances which include accommodation (N4m), vehicle loan (N8m), furniture (N6m), severance gratuity (N6m), car maintenance (N1.52m), and personal assistant (N506, 640) will be affected by the 30% slash.
Other allowances of the senators to be affected are entertainment N202,640, recess N202,640, utility N607,926, newspapers N303,960, house maintenance N101,320 and wardrobe allowance N405,280.
The committee had on Thursday, August 6, submitted the report during plenary.
Though the report was not read at the floor, it was gathered that it would be debated at the plenary this week and after resolution, the senators would start receiving their salaries and allowances which have been hanging since their inauguration on June 9.
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Reacting to the pay cut, a senator from Kano state said it was a welcome idea. “No sacrifice is too much for the electorate that trooped out despite scorching sun and rain to vote for us. Most of us are into many private businesses and we spend daily more than what we are earning here at the senate. So the slash is a welcome development in as much it will benefit the masses,” he said.
Reportedly, senators get more money from their numerous allowances than their annual basic salaries.
Last week, the chairman of the Senate adhoc committee on information, Senator Dino Melaye had disclosed that a progressive reduction has been made in the salaries of senators in response to the directive of Saraki who insisted that they must all make sacrifices with the existing economic realities facing the nation.
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