By Ugonne Uzoma

The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) on Tuesday shut down activities at the Imo House of Assembly over non implementation of financial autonomy for state legislature.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workers sealed all entrance to the complex, barring staff and legislators from entry.

Mr Victor Nnadi, the state PASAN Chairman told NAN that the action was to press home their demand for legislative financial autonomy.

Nnadi said that the association had followed due process in making its demands known without success.

“We embarked on this strike to demand for the implementation of the Executive Order No 10, signed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020, granting the legislature financial autonomy.

“An implementation committee was set up and it has completed its assignment; all we want is for the order to be implemented.

“We issued a 21 -day ultimatum, followed by another ultimatum and yet another 14- day ultimatum before the last one which was 7 days.

“All this was done to ensure that we fulfilled all the extant laws on strike,  all state Houses of Assembly in the country are affected,” Nnadi said.

Also in Osun, members of the association shut the entrance of the assembly complex in Osogbo, crippling down activities at the complex.

Mr Adekunle Akeem, the state PASAN Chairman said the national body directed members  to embark on strike to demand for financial autonomy for the legislative arm of government.

“We are informing the public that we are in full compliance with the directive .

“The gate is locked and the staff are all in support of the directive.

“Untill further notice, no work and all offices remain shut,” he said.

In Ekiti State, members of the association barricaded the entrance of the assembly complex in Ekiti, thereby shutting activities at the House of Assembly.

Speaking  with newsmen in Ekiti on Tuesday, Mr Tope Eyitayo, PASAN National Publicity Secretary, vowed that the state  houses of assembly would remain shut until their demands were met.

Also, the state PASAN Chairman,  Mr Gbenga Oluwajuyigbe vowed that until the association’s demands were met, the state assembly would remain shut.

“We will not open the door for activities until our demands are met, because this strike is indefinite,” he said.

In Jigawa, members of the association shut down activities at the state House Assembly in Dutse.

Mr Umar Adamu, the state PASAN chairman told newsmen in Dutse that the chapter had joined the strike, following directive by the national president of the association.

He explained that the strike was imperative following the inability of the Federal Government to implement the Financial Autonomy Act of 2018 and the Executive Order 10, 2020.

The chairman added that the association has exhausted all avenues for the implementation of the act by the federal government.

According to him, the association has no other option than to embark on the indefinite strike.

“All we are demanding is full implementation of the Financial Autonomy Act, condition of service, consolidated salary and allowances structure and 40 instead of 35 years or 65 instead of 60 years retirement age,” the chairman said.

In Sokoto, members of the association joined their counterpart across the country to embark on an indefinite strike.

Mr Ado Abdullahi, the state PASAN Chairman who led members of the association to shut down the assembly complex said that the action was in compliance with directive from the national body.

Abdullahi who spoke with newsmen in Sokoto said that the directive was based on the non implementation of financial autonomy act and executive order 10.

“Our members have ran out of patience and have resolved to forthwith put an end to condoning further delays to the implementation of state Houses of Assembly financial autonomy which is for over two years now.