Ministers Won’t Be Forced To Take Pay Cut – Presidency

The Presidency has said that President Muhammadu Buhari would not force those who will emerge as his ministers and aides to cut their salaries.
It will be recalled that Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had on Friday announced their decision to slash their salaries by 50 per cent.
The President’s current annual remuneration is put at N14,058,820.00.
However, based on the 50 per cent pay cut, Buhari will earn N7m per year throughout his four-year tenure.
The Vice President’s annual remuneration is N12,126, 290.00 but he will be earning N6m per annum.
Following Buhari and Osinbajo’s decision to slash their salaries in half, speculations were rife that the president may force those he would appoint into his cabinet to take the same decision.
But Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, told Punch on Sunday that the decision taken by Buhari and Osinbajo on their salaries was personal to them.
He said, “The decision taken by the President and Vice President was a voluntary thing.
“The decision is not a government policy, it is personal.
“You will observe that the President did not say they should issue a circular.
“If he wants it to become a government policy, he will issue the directive through a proper channel. He won’t make it compulsory, that is the position for now.”