Reps To Donate Two Months Salaries To Fight Coronavirus

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Nigeria’s House of Representatives
Nigeria’s House of Representatives

Posted By: Editor March 31, 2020

By Timileyin Omilana

Nigeria’s House of Representatives members have resolved to donate all of their salaries to fight the pandemic coronavirus. This was communicated in a footage shared by Femi Gbajabiamila, the House of Representatives Speaker, on twitter.

“We have in the House of Representatives jointly committed in contributing 100 per cent of our salaries for the next two months to the fight of COVID-19 in Nigeria,” Gbajabiamila said.

He said the donation will be to “support the provision for the welfare of the frontline medical professionals and health workers and other interventions to provide for the well-being of Nigerians through this trying time.”

Gbajabiamila said all the salaries will be transferred to the relief funds account. While the amount each member earns is not made public, there are a total of 360 members in the house. Also, Nigerian government on Thursday approved a 10 billion Naira grant to fight the spread of coronavirus in the country.

According to a statement from President Muhammadu Buhari, the money will be released to Lagos State, which has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the country.

“This grant will enable Lagos increase its capacity to control and contain the outbreak, while also supporting other States with capacity-building,” President Buhari said in a tweet.

Buhari also released a 5 billion Naira special intervention fund to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC). The Green Chamber financial contribution comes after several wealthy Nigerians and organizations have donated to the same course.

The United Bank for Africa (UBA) announced Thursday a donation of 5 billion Naira to provide beds for isolation centers, intensive care unit facilities and direct access to medical advice to up to 450,000 citizens every day.

Wealthy businessmen and captains of industries including Femi Otedola, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Herbert Wigwe, Segun Agbaje and Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, all contributed 1 billion Naira each to support the government in curtailing the pandemic in Nigeria.