The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), Anambra State Chapter has vowed to continue the ongoing strike until the recurring Parliamentary workers’ allowances in the State budget since 2019 were paid.
Abraham Okoye, Chairman of the Association told BusinessDay in Awka, the State Capital on Wednesday that the Union was not out to fight or witch-hunt the Speaker nor the Governor of the State.
According to him, the Union is only agitating for their rights which has been denied them since 2019.
It will be recalled that the indefinite strike which started on March 28 was called over non implementation of full legislative financial autonomy by the State Government.
Okoye said, “We had a meeting with the Honourable Speaker, management staff of the State House of Assembly and the representative of the national body of PASAN.
“It was unanimously resolved that the strike continues pending when we are paid all our allowances that has been a recurring decimal in the budget since 2019.
“It is quite obvious that the Anambra state’s condition is quite peculiar but we are still pleading for Legislative autonomy.
“We are pleading with the state government to do the needful so that we can call off the strike and consolidate further on the existing Legislative-Executive relationship.”
Abraham said the National PASAN leadership led by Mohammed Usman had written to the Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, demanding full implementation of Section 121 of the Constitution and other issues concerning welfare and improved conditions of service of workers.
“The letter stated that it is only staff of Anambra Assembly that is yet to be paid full legislative duty, outfit and hazard allowances in the whole federation and south east in particular.
“It said that Abia, Imo, Ebonyi and Enugu PASAN enjoy full payment of the allowances. Legislative duty, outfit and hazard allowances are the constitutional right of the staff of the legislature.
“The letter also calls for the constitution of the state Legislative Service Commission as provided by Anambra Legislative Service Commission Law, 2022.
“Once Anambra state government implements this, the strike will be suspended”, he said.
Abraham however appreciated Governor Soludo and the Speaker, Somtochukwu Udeze, for the renovation of the State Assembly Complex.
