The National Assembly (NASS) and the 36 state assembly workers have concluded plans to shut down their respective places of work on Wednesday, October 24.
The workers, under the auspices of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), said the assemblies would be locked up until their demand for financial autonomy is granted.
PASAN is demanding that the 36 state governors commence immediate implementation of financial autonomy for state assemblies in line with the 1999 Constitution.
The workers made their decision known in separate letters sent to the Chairman, Nigerian Governors Forum; the Department of State Services (DSS); and the Chairman, Forum of Speakers.
The workers had previously issued a 21-day strike notice, according to the letter that PASAN’s acting Secretary General, Agugbue Ugochi Happiness, signed.
They argued that their decision to shut down the legislative arms of government became imperative following the inability of the governors to implement the financial autonomy as provided in the constitution.
After submitting the letters, Happiness told journalists on Monday that the union had since September 18, 2023, issued the ultimatum, and the governors ignored the ultimatum till it expired.
“We refer to our letters dated September 18, 2023, and October 7, 2023, on the 21-day ultimatum to embark on industrial action if financial autonomy is not implemented in the State Houses of Assembly nationwide by Wednesday, October 18, 2023, and hereby inform you that the leadership of our great union has further extended the ultimatum by one week.
“We, therefore, hope that the extension will further avail ample opportunity to meet the demands of the union and avert the available industrial action.
“We hereby reiterate the union’s preparedness to direct the members to embark on the proposed strike action if its demands are not yielded to,” the letter partly read.
