Legislative Workers Threaten To Shut Down National And State Assemblies On Wednesday

Workers in the 36 state and national assemblies have announced their intention to lock up their workplaces until their demands for the financial autonomy of the legislative arm are met. The workers, who are members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), are calling on state governors to implement immediate financial autonomy for state assemblies in accordance with the 1999 Constitution.

This move follows several street protests and is aimed at compelling the governors to adhere to the constitutional provisions for financial autonomy. In letters addressed to the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Chairman of the Forum of Speakers, and the Department of State Services (DSS), the workers indicated that they had issued a 21-day strike notice.

The letters, signed by the acting Secretary General of PASAN, Agugbue Ugochi Happiness, outlined the failure of the governors to implement financial autonomy as the reason for their decision to shut down legislative bodies. The union had initially issued an ultimatum on September 18, 2023, which expired without the governors taking action.

In their letters, the workers expressed their hope that this extension would provide an opportunity for their demands to be met and prevent the impending industrial action. However, they stressed their preparedness to instruct members to proceed with the proposed strike if their demands continue to be ignored.