BEVERLY HILLS, March 23, (THEWILL) – Workers under the umbrella body of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) have commenced an indefinite strike across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The strike action followed a directive by the PASAN National President, Usman Mohammed, in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
He said the strike was due to the Federal Government’s unwillingness to implement the Financial Autonomy Act of 2018 and Presidential Order 10.
Mohammed, who noted that the union had explored all available options to avert the strike, lamented that their efforts had failed to yield any positive result.
He said: “The union, having exhausted all attempts aimed at asking for the implementation of the financial autonomy by the Federal Government after 21 days, 14 days and seven days ultimatums, at this juncture, the union has no other option than to direct our members to embark on an indefinite strike.”
Following the directive, the Lagos State House of Assembly chapter of PASAN, on Tuesday, joined their counterparts nationwide on the indefinite strike.
A statement by the Chairman, Comrade Taofiq Adele, reads: “The bedrock of parliamentary autonomy hinges on financial independence. Autonomy in this context is simply defined as non-dependence and non-subordination of parliaments in relation to the Executive.
“This non-dependence and non-subordination is in terms of unfettered control over financial and other related resources. According to best practices, the Parliaments should have equitable access to resources. As such, Parliaments by constitutional arrangements should have enough financial muscle to carry out their legislative mandate, including exercising power over the budget.
“This is consistent with the principles that ‘Parliaments should have control of and authority to determine and secure their budgetary requirements unconstrained by the Executive, save for budgetary constraints dictated by national circumstances’.”
Adele added that Parliaments should assert their role as a separate arm of government, meaning they should be independent from the Executive in their organisation, control of timetable and the ability to recall themselves outside normal sessions if circumstances so required.
Meanwhile, legislative activities were grounded at the Ogun House of Assembly on Tuesday as the state chapter of PASAN joined their counterparts nationwide on an indefinite strike.
Addressing newsmen at the assembly complex, James Obanla, the State Chairman of PASAN, said that the assembly staff had joined the strike as directed by the national body.
Obanla said that all activities at the assembly complex would be grounded indefinitely.
He explained that several notices had been issued to the government on the need to implement the financial autonomy signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, but without any action.
The PASAN Chairman, who noted that the strike would affect correspondences from the Executive arm of government, however, expressed confidence in the quick resolution of the issue.
Speaking on the benefits of financial autonomy when fully implemented, Obanla said that the autonomy would enhance the business of government and also provide room for separation of powers.
He said: “The strike is indefinite; businesses among the three arms of government will be affected. Today’s plenary is already affected and the stakeholders’ forum scheduled for tomorrow will likely be affected too.”
The lawmakers and staff of the assembly were conspicuously absent at the complex.
