Plateau Assembly Complex Shutdown, As Speaker, Members Abandon Their Offices, As PASAN Blocks All Assembly Entrance

Yakubu Busari

The striking Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) Plateau state chapter on Tuesday blocked all entrance to the Assembly complex disrupting the day sitting.

The strike by PASAN also led to abandoning of the Assembly Complex by the Speaker Rt  Hon. Peter Azi together with the 24 other members as the demonstrating staff embarked on sit-down protest.

The Assembly complex staff blocked the main gate of the state house of Assembly demanding the release of their salary increase which was approved in the 2016 Budget.

The Chairman of PASAN union Comrade Vatis Hakuri said  the striking staff has not been paid when the union solicited for the cooperation of Head of Service and Accountant General of the State ,he insulted them that there is no money to pay such money.

“The Accountant General utterances triggered the anger of the members to embark on indefinite strike to press for the demand of their payment.”

The statement stated further that the Accountant General said; “even if your union cut off my neck I won’t implement that new policy,” he warned.

According to him, they joint union have been making frantic effort to see the Head of Service as all arranged meeting ends in deadlock.

He presented the original documents which were captured in 2015/2016 budget with its copies made available to journalists.

The union leaders vowed not to vacate the premises and they staff defied the heavy rain fall as they continue sitting inside the complex, saying until their demand is made.

Our correspondent witnessed that the members cannot sit without the staffs who work in their offices which show that basically the House has been barred for the sitting.

Hakuri disclosed that they embark on peaceful demonstration not to engage in violence approach to resolve their problem.

However, effort to speak with the Hon Speaker proved abortive as, his phone could not be reached.