Activities at the National Assembly have been paralyzed and grounded as the staff under the aegis of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) today, Monday, made good their threat to embark on a four-day strike.
The workers who are demanding mainly for the payment of arrears of 28% increase in their salaries since 2010, stormed the National Assembly in the early hours of Monday, blocking all the entrances into the complex.
They have also cut off essential services like power and water supply; thereby crippling any form of activity within the premises.
Thelagostimes recalls that the aggrieved workers had two weeks ago shutdown the National Assembly, stopping lawmakers from sitting; blaming the Management of the National Assembly for their plight and insisting on the removal of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani Omolori.
Although no official statement has come from the management as at the time of filing this report; the Clerk had clearly dropped the blame at the door steps of the executive when he said there has been no releases to implement the worker’ wage increase captured in the 2018 budget.
Also recall that the staff had on Friday, issued a statement, threatening to embark on a four days warning strike.
In a letter of notification sent to the leadership of the National Assembly on Friday, the association stated that all its members would stay at home for four days beginning from today, Monday.
The letter signed by the association’s chairman, Musa Bature Muhammed had read thus, “Sequel to our earlier notice of strike action as contained in the Communique dated 29th November 2018, the Congress of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), National Assembly Chapter, unanimously resolved at its emergency Congress held on 14th December, 2018 to embark on a 4-day warning strike commencing from Monday, 17th to 20th December, 2018.
“By this notice, be kindly Informed that the entire Members of PASAN shall stay off their respectlve duties”.