Protest non payment of entitlements, as Majority Leader accuses staff of disrupting legislative activities
By Okey Maduforo
Anambra State House of Assembly staff has embarked on indefinite strike over non payment of sundry entitlements.
The staff under the platform of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN carried placards and banners on a peaceful protest to the Assembly gate and the State Secretariat chanting protest songs in demand for their entitlements.
They further accused the lawmakers of recruiting corps members of the National Youth Service Corps to perform the functions of the statutory staff of the Assembly.
According to the Deputy National President of PASAN Comrade Promise Chijioke Onwukwe during the protest;
“We had embarked on this strike before but the Conference Of Speakers of the thirty six State Assembly and the Governor’s Forum appealed to us that all our entitlements would be settled after their meeting which we agreed, but the time has elapsed and some states have started paying and meeting the needs of their staff”
“But here in Anambra State House of Assembly nothing has been done “
“We are talking about the payment of enhanced salary called CONYRESS , we are talking about staff training, we are talking about provision of laptops, we are talking about establishment of ICT unit , we are talking about employment of more staff , utility vehicles for the Assembly”
“You go to collect or submit mails and you will be trekking from one office to the other under the sun while those that you are working for are cruising in air condition vehicles”
“It might not be far from the truth that Gov Charles Soludo may have provided all these things but they are no where to be found and this is unfortunate”
“Go round the Assembly compound and you will see that it has been over grown by grasses and staff of the Assembly kill all manner of reptiles, snakes and scorpions almost every week and that shows that this place is not conducive to work” he said.
Reacting to those allegations the Majority Leader of Anambra state House of Assembly Hon Ikenna Ofodeme Sylvester dismissed their claims accusing them of disrupting the activities of the legislature.
“It is only the Anambra state PASAN that is on strike and they are not on strike because their statutory payment are not being paid . They are on strike because they are talking about their welfare which has to do with their allowances and what are the allowances? ‘
“It has to do with the internal payment which you need to settle based on the status or the area that you are working”
“In as much as you are asking for allowance you need to be in the compound where you are working so that we can have the opportunity to know exactly what you are doing and your number and take decisions on what is needed and render the services expected of them”
“To crown it all this is Anambra state House of Assembly and most of those staff are strictly under the office of the Head Of Service and they are posted to come and work with the State Assembly Members “
“They are duty bound to listen to where they are posted and know exactly what they are expected to do and where by they don’t want to work at the House of Assembly, they are free to go back to the Head of Service and not to come here to disrupt the activities of the House of Assembly ” he said.
