As the remuneration of National Assembly members continues to generate controversy among Nigerians, a member of the House of Representatives from Gombe State, Simon Karu, has revealed his monthly pay.
Karu, who represents Kaltungo/Shongom Federal Constituency, said that he receives N800,000 salary and N8.5 million as office running cost monthly.
He disclosed this at an event to mark the 60th Independence anniversary tagged: Fixing Nigeria at 60 – “Sustainable and efficient democracy: Issues on accountability and transparency in governance”.
“The official salary of a member, House of Representatives which I also receive monthly is N800, 000.
“I told you I was going to say it. Why don’t you wait for me to say it? The office running cost of a member of the House of Representatives is N8.5m.
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“Those of you who know, know that I said exactly what it is. The problem is what the constituents demand and when you don’t meet they begin to call you names.
“Just before I walked to the stage, I received three emails from my constituents demanding for money and demanding for jobs, when you don’t it becomes an issue,” Karu said.
However, his colleague and Chairman of the House Committee on Treaties, Agreements and Protocols, Ossai Nicholas Ossai, countered his Karu’s claim.
“I have never received such salary since I came to the National Assembly and I have been in the National Assembly before him,” Ossai said.