Members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) made good on their threat yesterday, barricading gates to Houses of Assembly across the country in protest of state governments’ alleged failure to implement financial autonomy granted to State Houses of Assembly.
The strike is taking place in all 36 states to seek full financial autonomy, which some governments have only partially implemented, with only three states – Lagos, Gombe, and Bayelsa – fully adopting the law.
As the workers barricaded the entrance, they barred people from accessing the Assembly complexes.
Mr. Sunday Kalu, Chairman of the Association in Abia, told reporters that the state chapter’s move was in accordance with the national body’s directive.
He said it was also as a result of the failure of the state government to domesticate the Executive Order 10 signed by ex-President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020.
Kalu stated that the union had embarked on the strike some years back, but later decided to suspend it after negotiation with the government “and up till now nothing has been done.”
He said presently, the union has decided to embark on indefinite strike, pending when the state government will implement the Order.
He said: “In Abia, we have not gotten the administrative autonomy which is paramount.
“We have Abia State House of Assembly Commission Law that empowers the Assembly to stay on its own administratively.
“We are calling on the State Government to do the needful by constituting the Assembly commission and then the financial autonomy.”
The Benue State, Edo, Katsina, Sokoto and other chapters also joined their counterparts in other parts of the country, to embark on an indefinite nation wide strike over the non full implementation of financial autonomy to the state houses of assembly.
The strike which was declared by the national body of PASAN after the expiration of its ultimatums was the continuation of the 2021 nation wide strike which was suspended for negotiations.
Benue State chapter of PASAN, at 7:30 am, blocked the two gates of the state House of Assembly and the assembly service commission.
The staff who chanted solidarity songs were seen bearing placards with inscriptions such as “PASAN demands CONLESS now”, “Financial Autonomy is a Constitutional Right for the Legislature,” “No more political solution, full financial autonomy the answer” and “Down Tooling is Necessary,” among others.
Addressing the staff, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har, urged members of PASAN to be observe decorum in enforcing the strike in the state in order not to contribute to security challenges.
He said Governor Hyacinth Alia has a good interest of the state at heart that needed the support of all stakeholders to succeed.
Also speaking, Speaker Benue State House of Assembly, Mr Aondona Dajoh, advised assembly staff to be law abiding in their actions.
He assured that the forum of speakers conference will meet with Governors forum to address the matter.
in Edo State, lawmakers and others were barred from accessing the chambers.
Speaking to newsmen on action, Umaru Farouk Haruna, Chairman PASAN Edo State Chapter, said the national president of PASAN, Mohammed Usman, had directed all Chairmen and Secretaries to mobilise her members for maximum compliance in the protest.
“The issue of Autonomy is a constitutional matter. You know it has been passed by the national Assembly and was assented to by the immediate past president Muhammadu Buhari.
“All we need is for the government to start implementation. But as we speak today, nothing has been done. The 36 states of Houses of Assembly, you can call them rubber stamps because they are not on their feet simply because they are not Autonomous. We are not just fighting for the staff of legislators, we are fighting to deepen the dividends of democracy for Nigerians.
“The essence of Separation of Powers is when Autonomy is in operation, but as we speak today, the governors are doing whatever they like, and nobody is asking them questions. This is because, the Houses of Assembly on their own dare not speak because they are not autonomous bodies. This is the struggle we are in,” Usman stated.
In Nasarawa State, Mr Suleiman Oshafu, chairman of the union, recalled that former President Muhammadu Buhari signed an Executive Order granting the financial autonomy of the state assemblies in 2020.
“What we want from the Government is that all state legislature must be granted financial autonomy.
“This strike is nationwide, is indefinite strike,” he said.
He urged members of the association to stay at home until further directive from the national leadership of the association.
“I call on all PASAN members to comply with the strike and be law abiding,” he said.
Members of the association carried different placards reading: “No going back on financial autonomy”; “Financial autonomy is constitutionally guaranteed”; “Give us our financial autonomy now”; “No Autonomy, no legislator and no work”; and “Autonomy the only solution to vibrant legislation”, among others.
Mr Abraham Okoye, Anambra state Chairman, PASAN, said the action was in total compliance with the directive from the national body.
“Some states including Anambra have failed to implement Section 121 of the Constitution 5th Alteration which granted full financial autonomy to the House of Assembly.
“In Anambra, the former Governor, Dr Willie Obiano signed a law granting the legislature and the judiciary autonomy to manage their funds. In August 2022, the Assembly also passed a resolution calling for the full implementation of the law.
“Till now, the present governor is yet to implement the law. PASAN and our counterpart in the Judiciary have written several letters to this effect to no avail.
“The Executive should allow the legislature to breathe and function optimally. That is our prayer,” he said.
Okoye expressed concern over what he called poor working condition in the state Assembly.
“PASAN Anambra seems to be the worst in the country. The State Assembly is in bad shape, nothing is working.
“We have no functional ICT centre, no utility vehicles as we have only one vehicle used by 29 house committees for oversight function. Staff welfare is zero and our environment is bushy. We kill snakes all time.
“We will continue this strike until we get directive from the national body or until we get attention from the governor,” Okoye said.
Malam Bashir Yahaya, PASAN Chairman, Kano State chapter, said members of the association would continue the strike until their demands were met.
He also reiterated that the state assembly would remain closed until a counter directive from the national body was issued.