Ogun Assembly workers join nationwide strike over financial autonomy

Members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, Ogun State Chapter, on Monday joined other workers of state Houses of Assembly nationwide to embark on an indefinite strike to press home their demand for the implementation of financial autonomy for the state legislatures.

The Chairman of the Ogun Chapter, Ojediran Ayotunde, who led other executives to address the group’s emergency congress on Monday at the Assembly complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta noted that the action was in strict compliance with the directive of the national secretariat.

Ayotunde said, “For us in Ogun State, this strike was targeted at ensuring financial autonomy for state legislatures nationwide in compliance with Section 10(2), 13 and 14 of the Statutory Offices (State Emoluments) Amendment Law, 2018; and the State Assembly Service Commission Law, 2018, likewise the payment of additional 40% Peculiar Allowance to legislative staff members.

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“Clearly, the non-compliance with the laws has resulted in the non-payment of due salaries and allowances to the three bureaucratic staff of the legislature. As it stands today, the Clerk of the House, his Deputy and the Executive Secretary of the Commission are still being paid the salaries of Directors as against what is spelt out by the extant laws.

“In the previous week, we have communicated this position of ours to the state government in follow up to the laudable efforts of the leadership of the House, the House of Assembly Service Commission and respected elders of thoughts.

“Some months ago, the National Delegate Congress of our union held its meeting in Abuja and a communique was issued and sent to the state with copies sent to necessary stakeholders on the non-payment of the officials’ due salaries, how long shall we continue with this illegality in Ogun State?”

Speaking on the exclusion of the staff members of the state legislature from the 40 per cent peculiar allowance paid to civil servants in the state commencing from August 2023, Ayotunde said, “It is disheartening that as much as we are affected by the adverse effect of the removal of fuel subsidy, such should be extended to members of staff in the House of Assembly and House of Assembly Service Commission. We are seriously affected by the hike in the price of petrol and market commodities.

“We are optimistic that Governor Abiodun will do the needful to immediately attend to our demands within record time.”