Parliamentary staff issue strike notice over delay in granting financial autonomy to state assemblies

The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) says it will embark on a nationwide strike on Wednesday over the non-implementation of financial autonomy for state assemblies.

The strike notice is contained in a letter signed by Agugbue Ugochi, PASAN acting secretary general, addressed to AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governor of Kwara and chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF); speakers of state assemblies, and the Department of State Service (DSS).

The union had given state governments a 21-day ultimatum and further extended it to one week.

Among its demands, PASAN wants governors to commence immediate implementation of financial autonomy for state assemblies in line with the constitution.

Ugochi said that the governors have failed to meet the union’s demand for financial autonomy to the state assemblies despite several letters to that effect.

He warned that the strike would disrupt parliamentary activities across the country.

PASAN has a history of protests against the non-implementation of financial autonomy for state assemblies.

In May 2020, former President Muhammadu Buhari signed an executive order granting financial autonomy to the legislature and judiciary across the 36 states of the country.

However, the former president suspended the gazetting of the order after a pushback from governors.

In the 2022 constitution amendment, some of the bills that scaled through included financial autonomy for state legislature and judiciary.

The bills were subsequently signed into law by Buhari in March.