NATIONAL AND STATE ASSEMBLIES WILL BE SHUT DOWN BY PARLIAMENTARY STAFF

Babatunji Wusu –

The National and State Assemblies will be closed on Wednesday throughout the 36 States of the federation, according to a decision made by legislative staffers working under the auspices of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN).

They claim that the reason they have decided to go on a statewide strike is because the government has disregarded their demands for financial autonomy.

Separate letters detailing the development were sent to the heads of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Governors Forum, and the Forum of Speakers, and were signed by PASAN’s acting secretary general, Agugbue Ugochi Happiness.

Recall that the group had already given a 21-day strike warning; hence, their decision to shut down the legislative branches of government became necessary as a result of the governors’ failure to exercise the constitutionally mandated financial autonomy.

The legislative staff urged state governors to begin implementing financial autonomy for state legislatures as soon as possible in accordance with the 1999 Constitution.

Happiness told reporters on Monday that the governors rejected the ultimatum from the union until it expired on September 18, 2023.

“We refer to our letters dated September 18, 2023 and October 7, 2023 on the 21-day ultimatum to begin industrial action if financial autonomy is not implemented in the State Houses of Assembly nationwide by Wednesday, October 18, 2023, and hereby inform you that the leadership of our great union has further extended the ultimatum by one week,” the PASAN letter stated in part.

We thus expect that the extension would provide us more time to address the union’s objectives and prevent the potential for industrial action.

If the union’s demands are not met, “We hereby reiterate the union’s readiness to direct the members to embark on the proposed strike action.”