Staff of Anambra State House of Assembly, under the aegis of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, Anambra State Chapter, has embarked on an indefinite strike.
The industrial action followed the failure of the
Governor Chukwuma Soludo-led government to grant full legislative financial autonomy of the Anambra State House of Assembly.
In a circular signed by the Chairman of the union, Mr Abraham Okoye and the Secretary, Comrade Ugochukwu Obiwulu, the legislative workers noted that the industrial action was in line with a circular received from the national body of the association.
According to the circular pasted at the entrance of the State Assembly complex, the association observed that the Anambra State Government was foot dragging in the implementation of the legislative financial autonomy despite receiving series of letters from both the state and national body of PASAN.
The circular which was addressed to the Speaker, Somtochukwu Udeze, explained that the state government’s failure to implement the Memorandum of Understanding reached with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, through the Conference of Speakers, warranted the National Secretariat of PASAN to direct all its members to embark on an indefinite industrial action with effect from Thursday 28 March, 2024.
In the letter which is dated 27th March 2024, PASAN said the strike followed the expiration of the ultimatum issued on the 6th of March 2024, over the full implementation of financial autonomy, in line with Section 121 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The Anambra Assembly Complex was totally deserted on Thursday, with no presence of staff within the premises.
This is despite the fact that lawmakers usually sit on Thursdays.
The Assembly members had after sitting on Tuesday 26th March adjourned to Thursday the 28th of March 2024 for plenary.
However, the industrial action stalled plenary on Thursday.