Contrary to reports in some national dailies that members of the House of Representatives have grumbled over a reduction in their salaries and allowances, the lawmakers have stated that the House is in peace.
Speaking to journalists on the issue yesterday, the chairman of the ad-hoc committee on Media and Publicity, Hon Opeyemi Bamidele (ACN, Lagos State) said that some of the lawmakers had queried the decision to make them pay for their official cars via a car loan when that was not the same practice in other arms of government.
He said, “On behalf of the members of the House of Representatives, we want to correct reports that there is rancour because our salaries have been reduced.
“Our salaries are fixed by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMFC), and not by honourable members or National Assembly Service Commission and it is not different from that of other public office holders at the same level,” he said.
He added that in response to the concerns of Nigerians, the running cost of the lawmakers’ offices had been reviewed downwards by 63 percent.
The lawmaker quickly added that “no one is protesting that the same people who fixed it saw it fit to have a downward review.”
He explained that the issue had to be cleared by the House in order to set the record straight and allow them to focus on their legislative agenda.
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