Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, will only receive 50 per cent of the salary paid to their predecessors, a government source said on Friday.
According to a statement by a spokesman to the President, Garba Shehu, the President’s decision to take a 50 per cent pay cut was conveyed to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on Thursday by the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Mr 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% of his salary be paid to him,” Mr Emodi wrote in the letter.
The current annual remuneration of the President of Nigeria, as published by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, is 14,058,820.00 Naira (about $70,000).
Earlier on Friday, President Buhari turned down a proposal to buy new cars for his use, saying that he would stick to the vehicles former President Goodluck Jonathan left behind.
The proposal from the Aso Rock bureaucracy is for Buhari to approve the purchase of five customised armoured Mercedes Benz S-600 (V222) cars of about 400 million Naira.
It was learnt that President Buhari rejected the proposal on Wednesday when he received briefings from the Permanent Secretary (State House), Mr Nebolisa Emodi.
He had during his campaign promised to cut down cost of governance in the face of low crude oil price since the nation depends more on crude exportation for revenue.