The staff of the National Assembly under the umbrella of the Parliament Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) have resolved to down tools from next week Monday in protest of the non-payment of 15 months arrears of CONPECULIAR allowances and 6 months outstanding balance of minimum wage respectively.

This was made known on Thursday in a joint statement issued by the chairman of PASAN in the National Assembly, Comrade Sunday Sabiyi and the vice-chairman (National Assembly Service Commission), Comrade M.A.Liman after rising from a congress in Abuja.

The association conveyed their resolutions in a letter copied to the Senate president, Senator Ahmad Lawan, Speaker Femi Gbajabimila, chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), the director of DSS and DPO of National Assembly.

In the letter dated 6 January 2022, the group Union noted that “Following management breach of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) entered with PASAN on the 13th of April 2021 on the full implementation of the new national minimum wage Act 2019 and the Revised condition of service, congress hereby observes the following:

“Breach of MoU by the decision of the management not to honour it agreement as at 31st December 2021, being the fourth quarter of 2021”

The letter said “In view of the resolutions, congress resolves to embark on industrial action, commencing with mass picketing from Monday, 10th January 2022 in protest of the breach of the MOU.

According to them, “In view of the contraventions above, the NASC/NASS joint emergency congress resolves as follows:

“That management should pay with immediate effect 5 months outstanding balance of minimum wage, the year 2021 rent subsidy, 15 months arrears of CONPECULIAR allowances, 6 months arrears of hazard allowance to National Assembly staff.

“In addition to the MOU, congress also demands the implementation of 50 per cent balance of CONLESS, immediate release of year 2022 training template for staff and evidence of provision of gratuity for retiring staff”.

PASAN further noted that “Whereas management had earlier identified the supplementary budget 2021 as one amongst various sources of funding the MOU, congress is amazed that suddenly the supplementary budget and virement of the 2021 fiscal appropriation have become the source of funding items not captured in the MOU including end of year bonus and promotion arrears”.
Independent