Reps To Resolve Staff Pending Issues Soon, Speaker Assures

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, has assured that the pending issues raised by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), National Assembly chapter, will soon be resolved.

Gbajabiamila, who made the announcement at yesterday’s plenary, said the issues were of paramount importance to the leadership of the House, adding that an end would soon be reached.

“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to PASAN that their matter is being looked into, and very soon it will be resolved.

“I know there are pending issues, and hopefully those issues will be resolved this week,” Gbajabiamila said, and appealed to the PASAN members for calm.

It would be recalled that PASAN members had embarked on a nationwide strike after tabling some demands.

The strike action was boycotted by their members at the National Assembly who, however, threatened to join if the issues tabled by the association were not addressed.

Earlier, the National Assembly Legislative Aides Forum, had, yesterday, in Abuja, protested the non-payment of their 20 months’ salary arrears.

Zebis Prince, who spoke on behalf of the protesting aides, said that since the inauguration of the 9th Assembly, their salary arrears were withheld by the management.

He said that the matter was referred to the House Services Committee with the mandate to among other things investigate the irregularities in the payment of legislative aides.

He, however, said that the clerk of the National Assembly (CNA) insisted on getting directives from the chairman of the National Assembly Legislative Aides Forum, National Assembly Service Commission before payment of the arrears.

“We are disturbed that despite an express legislative resolution mandating the CNA to ensure payment three weeks after, the Chief Accounting Officer of NASS has chosen to hold us to ransom.

“The continued refusal of CNA to pay about 2,500 aides their 2019 salary arrears have created a sharp division between Aides and the management,” he said.

He said that having exhausted the internal dispute resolution mechanism, the forum has resolved to pursue their grievances using all legitimate tools at their disposal

“So, we are presenting our demands to the Speaker of the House of Representative, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, as the boss of our principal and the Senate President.”

Some of the demands of the protesters include the implementation of minimum wage, duty tour allowances and training.

While addressing the forum, Gbajabiamila said that every labourer deserved his wages, adding that the NASS leadership were already looking into it.

“The wages owed since 2019 is not excusable, I will just ask that you are a little bit patient and a little understanding.

“I know that there is a financial constraint but one thing I know is that I will make sure that these things are resolved and your arrears paid.

“We appreciate you for bringing this peacefully to our attention,” he said.