NEW: Legislative workers vow to shut down national, state assemblies
The national and the 36 state assemblies workers have concluded plans to shut down their respective places of work from Wednesday, October 24.
The workers, under the auspices of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) said the assemblies would be locked up until their demand for financial autonomy is granted.
PASAN is demanding that the 36 state governors should commence immediate implementation of financial autonomy for state assemblies in line with the 1999 Constitution.
The workers made their decision known in separate letters sent to the Chairman, Nigerian Governors Forum; the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Chairman, Forum of Speakers.
According to the letter, signed by acting Secretary General of PASAN, Agugbue Ugochi Happiness, the workers had earlier issued a 21-day strike notice.
They argued that their decision to shut down legislative arms of government became imperative following the inability of the governors to implement the financial autonomy as provided in the constitution.
After submitting the letters, Happiness told journalists on Monday that the union had since September 18, 2023 issued the ultimatum, and the governors ignored the ultimatum till it expired.
“We refer to our letters dated 18th September, 2023 and 7th of October, 2023 on 21 days ultimatum to embark on industrial action if financial autonomy is not implemented in the State Houses of Assembly nationwide by Wednesday, October 18th 2023 and hereby inform you that the leadership of our great union has further extended the ultimatum by one week.
“We, therefore, hope that the extension would further avail ample opportunity to meet the demands of the union and avert the available industrial action.
“We hereby reiterate the union’s preparedness to direct the members to embark on the proposed strike action if its demands are not yielded to,” the letter partly read.
