The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) has urged Gov. Chukwuma Soludo to intervene in the ongoing crisis between legislators and staff of the state Assembly over poor working conditions and welfare.
Mr Promise Onwukwe, National Vice-President, PASAN- South East, made the call in Awka during a peaceful protest over the non-payment of allowances and use of corps members to carry out legislative business in the state.
It was reported that while PASAN was holding a protest at the entrance of the Assembly complex, the lawmaker were also holding plenary session.
The protesters displayed placards with different inscriptions such as ‘Pay us our allowances budgeted since 2019’, ‘Implement Anambra Fund Management Law’ and ‘Legislative financial autonomy will strengthen our democracy.
PASAN Anambra state chapter had been on indefinite strike since March 28 over non implementation of full legislative financial autonomy by the state government.
Speaking to newsman, Onwukwe lamented that the state government has failed to implement the Memorandum of Understanding reached with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, through the Conference of Speakers.
“The agreement which concerns financial autonomy, Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS) and payment of allowances have not been implemented by Anambra state government.
“It is unfortunate that only N1000 is being paid as allowance to the staff of Anambra state House of Assembly. They are not paid peculiar, outfit, duty and hazard allowances since inception.
“Whereas PASAN in Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Abia and other states of the federation enjoy these allowances.
“Anambra state captured CONLESS in the 2024 budget but till date, it has not been implemented. So, we are protesting to tell the world that nothing has been implemented in Anambra state.
“And we are appealing to Gov. Soludo to wade into this matter to bring lasting solution,” he said.
Onwukwe alleged that the legislators employed the services of corps members to hold plenary and carry out other legislative business.
“How can people who are elected by the people to make law go outside the law they are making. It is quite unfortunate.
“It is unparliamentary to use inexperienced corps members to carry out legislative business. It is illegal and we condemn it entirely.
“The leadership of the House of Assembly is pushing their responsibility to the executive instead of settling this problem amicably so that parliamentary staff can call off the strike, “he said.
Speaking on behalf of the State Assembly, Mr Ikenna Ofodeme, Majority Leader and member representing Ekwusigo Constituency, said the PASAN protest was not in the interest of the state.
“The staff of the Anambra House of Assembly, who are members of PASAN are deployed from the Head of Service(HOS) to work in the house of Assembly.
“So, they are under the HOS and they should channel their demands to the HOS and not disrupt the activities of the Assembly,”he said.
Ofodeme denied the use corps members posted to serve in the Assembly, to carry out legislative business.
“Anambra legislators will continue to do thier best to move the state forward through enactment of developmental laws and would not be distracted by any union activity, ” he said.
