Assembly workers ask Dapo Abiodun to implement 28% increment in ‘peculiar allowance’

The parliamentary staff association of Nigeria (PASAN) has given Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun, a 16-day ultimatum to implement increments in salaries and allowances of its members in the state.

According to a letter signed by Awobifa Hammed, secretary-general of the association, PASAN demanded full implementation of the 28 percent increment in the consolidated legislative salary structure (CONLESS) and peculiar allowance for Ogun assembly workers.

The letter, dated May 9, said the Ogun chapter of PASAN had sent the demand to the state government in three separate correspondences on March 23 and 31, also on May 3.

In the letter, the association alleged that the government was also withholding salary due to the office of clerk/head of legislative service, the deputy clerk and the executive secretary of Ogun assembly service commission.

The association demanded that all the requests must be addressed “on or before May 31, 2023, warning that failure “may allow our union to pursue the goal from other legitimate actions available”.

“We bring warm greetings from the national leadership of the parliamentary staff association of Nigeria (PASAN),” the letter reads.

“The national secretariat of parliamentary staff association of Nigeria (PASAN) is quite aware of earlier correspondences on the above subject matter (both dated 23 and 31 March and 3 of May 2023, by our chapter in Ogun state to your office which has not been responded to till date despite workers plea.

“Your Excellency Sir, it would be of interest to intimate your office the attached 28% increase on both CONLESS and Peculiar Allowance was premised on the approval of the presidency, through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission in the year 2019, mainly for the purpose to address the welfare needs of workers in the legislative arm of government which of course our counterpart in the judiciary have been enjoying for some years now.

“Sir, the parliamentary staff association of Nigeria (PASAN) as a national umbrella of all workers working in all houses of assembly and their commissions always conduct background checks on activities on the appointment process and procedures in conformity with assembly service commission laws and other extant regulations. It’s therefore alarming, shocking and strange when discovered that the clerk/head of legislative service, the deputy clerk and the executive secretary of the assembly service commission who are all our members were not only denied their due salaries, in consonance with Ogun state assembly service commission law, 2018 section 10 (2)13 and 14 but other allowances attached to their office as well were equally denied.

“Consequent upon the earlier appeal cum request of the Ogun state chapter of PASAN demanding the full implementation of CONLESS and all attached allowances in their letters of March 2013, the national leadership wish to reiterate our strong support for the clarion call that their demands be attended to on or before 31″ of May 2023” which its failure may allow our union to pursue the goal from other legitimate actions available.

“Sir, while still appealing through this medium that you use your good office to address this issue in time, please accept our unflinching regard.”