President Muhammadu Buhari says he will only receive 50 percent of the salary paid to his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan. The president’s decision to take a 50 percent pay cut was conveyed to the office of the secretary to the government of the federation on Friday by the permanent secretary of the state house, Nebolisa Emodi. “I write to forward the completed IPPIS registration form of Mr President and to draw your kind attention to Mr President’s directive that only 50 percent of his salary be paid to him,” Mr. Emodi wrote in the letter with reference number PRES/81/SGF/17. The current annual remuneration of the president of Nigeria, as published by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) is N14 million Yemi Osinbajo, vice-president, has similarly given up half of his official remuneration. President Buhari earlier rejected a proposal for the purchase five armoured Mercedes cars valued at N400 million for his use. Nigerians are particularly uneasy about the salaries of their lawmakers. In June, they protested over the alleged N9 billion wardrobe allowance for federal lawmakers. Following the outcry, the senate constituted an 18-man committee to review the salaries of its members. Owing to the dwindling oil revenue as well as other variables, the Nigerian government was unable to pay the salaries of some of its workers, just as some state governments owed their workers accumulated wages.
