Nation
Lawmakers Postpone Resumption As Workers Shut National Assembly Over Unpaid Salaries
National Assembly workers, under the auspices of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) on Monday shut down activities at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, forcing lawmakers to make a U-turn as banks, restaurants and others were forced to close.
The workers had, during their protest that began in the early hours of Monday, blocked the main entrance to the premises with a bus, while they danced to music from a disc jockey stationed in the middle of the road.
The Tide observed that power and water supplies to the buildings were cut, thereby crippling activities.
PASAN had on Sunday announced the commencement of an indefinite strike by its members over non-payment of a backlog of salaries and allowances by the management.
It issued the strike notice in a statement issued by its Secretary-General, Hammed Awobifa.
On Monday, the workers besieged the second gate to the complex, blocking and occupying the road.
Lawmakers, workers and journalists, among others, were prevented from driving into the premises. People were only allowed to walk into the building.
The protest, which began around 6am, lasted till about 4.30pm.
During the protest, the workers alleged that the NASS management insisted it would not implement any allowances, including the leave grant already paid in the last two years, unless it obtains approval or ratification from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
Efforts by the Secretary, Human Resources and Staff Development of the National Assembly, Suraj Oladoyin, who came to address the protesting workers on behalf of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Amos Ojo, proved abortive.
Oladoyin, who was booed and interjected by the crowd, tried to persuade the angry protesters to continue negotiations with the management. They, however, replied to him with an uproar, chanting, “All we want are credit alerts, we are tired of talking”.
The Chairman of PASSAN, National Assembly chapter, Sunday Sabiyi, who tried to calm the situation, said the executives were also tired of the back and forth over the issue.
The protesters left the gate at about 5pm, with the leadership of PASAN asking the workers to resume protest on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Senate and the House of Representatives have postponed resumption of plenary till next week due to the presidential primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Clerk of the House, Dr Yahaya Danzaria, made this known in a notice issued on Monday.
It read, “Please be informed that the two chambers of the National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) have jointly postponed resumption of plenary from tomorrow, June 7, to Tuesday, June 14, 2022, due to the ongoing APC party convention. All inconveniences are regretted”.
Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.
She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.
Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.
The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.
Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.
He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.
Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.
He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.
According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.
Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.
Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them
John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah
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