National Assembly workers, under the auspices of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, on Monday shut down activities at the National Assembly Complex Abuja, forcing lawmakers to make a U-turn as banks, restaurants and others were forced to close.
The workers had, during their protest that began in the early hours of Monday, blocked the main entrance to the premises with a bus, while they danced to music from a disc jockey stationed in the middle of the road.
Our correspondents observed that power and water supplies to the buildings were cut, thereby crippling activities.
PASAN had on Sunday announced the commencement of an indefinite strike by its members over non-payment of a backlog of salaries and allowances by the management.
It issued the strike notice in a statement issued by its Secretary-General, Hammed Awobifa.
On Monday, the workers besieged the second gate to the complex, blocking and occupying the road.
Lawmakers, workers and journalists, among others, were prevented from driving into the premises. People were only allowed to walk into the building.
The protest, which began around 6am, lasted till about 4.30pm.
During the protest, the workers alleged that the management insisted it would not implement any allowances, including the leave grant already paid in the last two years, unless it obtains approval or ratification from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
The National President of PASAN, Mohammed Usman, who spoke to our correspondents, alleged that the management had refused to honour the MoU signed with the workers.
Usman said, “Our placards have said it all, we are here demanding our entitlements. The strike is against the management because they refused to honour their part of the agreement in the MoU signed with staff members.
“We decided to embark on this strike after a series of consultations and reminders to the management. The staff members are angry because they are working at the National Assembly and they have nothing to show for it.
“If the National Assembly is formulating policies for other agencies and those ones are implementing them, there is no excuse for the National Assembly not to fulfil theirs.”
Efforts by the Secretary, Human Resources and Staff Development of the National Assembly, Suraj Oladoyin, who came to address the protesting workers on behalf of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Amos Ojo, proved abortive.
Oladoyin, who was booed and interjected by the crowd, tried to persuade the angry protesters to continue negotiations with the management. They, however, replied to him with an uproar, chanting, “All we want are credit alerts, we are tired of talking.”
The Chairman of PASSAN, National Assembly chapter, Sunday Sabiyi, who tried to calm the situation, said the executives were also tired of the back and forth over the issue.
The protesters left the gate at about 5pm, with the leadership of PASAN asking the workers to resume protest on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Senate and the House of Representatives have postponed resumption of plenary till next week due to the presidential primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress as the APC enjoys dominant majority of members in both chambers.
The Clerk of the House, Dr Yahaya Danzaria, made this known in a notice issued on Monday.
It read, “Please be informed that the two chambers of the National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) have jointly postponed resumption of plenary from tomorrow, June 7, to Tuesday, June 14, 2022, due to the ongoing APC party convention. All inconveniences are regretted.”.
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]
