NASS shutdown as staff down tools over 24 months minimum wage arrears

•As Reps postpone plenary over APC convention

By Christiana Ekpa 

Activities in the National Assembly were on Monday grounded as workers under the umbrella of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) embarked on strike.

The industrial action by the parliamentary workers is to press home their demand for full payment of their outstanding 24 months of national minimum wage and other conditions of service.

PASAN officials blocked the entrance of the National Assembly which also led to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Supreme Court.

They prevented staff of banks, Senators and members of the House of Representatives and other offices access to the complex.

PASAN is specifically demanding the National Assembly management to implement the subsisting memorandum of understanding (MoU) jointly signed by the National Assembly Service Commission, NASS management and the union on April 13, 2021, for payment of all arrears for staff.

“Highlight of the items in the MoU include but not limited to 24 months arrears of Minimum Wage/Consequential Adjustment out of which Management paid only 16 months, leaving a balance of 8 months 13 days.

“Full implementation of the Conditions of Service as entered into in the MoU signed in April 2021. To which implementation had started but stopped”, the union said in a statement.

In another development, the House of Representatives has postponed its plenary resumption earlier slated for Tuesday to next week Tuesday, June 14, 2022.

Yahaya Danzaria, Clerk to the House of Representatives in a notice said the shift is due to the national convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) taking place in Abuja between Monday and Wednesday.

“Please be informed that the two Chambers of the National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) have jointly postponed resumption of plenary from tomorrow 7th June to Tuesday, 14th June. 2022 due to the on-going APC Party Convention. All inconveniences are regretted, the notice read.