The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), South-West zone, has threatened to resume its suspended strike over the failure of some governors to implement the legislative financial autonomy agreement.

PASAN South-West vice-president, Adele Adewale, disclosed this at a news conference in Ibadan on Thursday.

The association had, on November 23, 2023, suspended a three-week strike after a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the chairmen of the Conference of Speakers and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on legislative financial autonomy.

According to the MoU, the legislative financial autonomy for the state legislatures would have taken effect across the country by February 28, 2024.

The association’s vice president, however, lamented that only Benue had implemented the agreement.

He said PASAN would not hesitate to resume its suspended strike if the governors reneged on implementing the financial autonomy as agreed to.

Mr Adewale said the association considered the non-compliance of the governors as a breach of trust and a violation of section 121 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

He, therefore, called on President Bola Tinubu to prevail on the governors to respect the position of the law on financial autonomy for state legislatures to avert another strike.

Mr Adewale said the pending strike could cripple legislative activities at this critical time in the nation.

“We are optimistic that the implementation of full legislative financial autonomy will strengthen the State Houses of Assembly Service Commission and enhance the career progression of the legislative staff.

“It will also resolve issues like non-remittance of legislative staff monthly deductions, such as cooperative and pension deductions; non-payment of legislative staff wardrobe allowance; non-implementation of CONLESS as well as other germane issues bothering on the welfare of the parliamentary staffers across the federation,” he said.

According to him, South-West PASAN will vehemently resist any attempt to subvert the quest to implement the signed agreement.

Mr Adewale, however, said the association was appreciative of the gesture of Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue in assenting to the Legislative Fund Management Law. 

(NAN)