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By Madu Obi
WORKERS of the Anambra State House of Assembly have begun an indefinite strike over alleged non payment of their entitlements.
The workers, under the platform of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, carried placards and banners during the protest and marched round the three arms zone, chanting protest songs and demanding for their entitlements.
They accused the state lawmakers of recruiting members of the National Youth Service Corps to perform the functions of the statutory staff of the House of Assembly.
Deputy National President of PASAN Comrade Promise Onwukwe said they decided to go on strike because they could no longer bear the hardship occasioned by the deliberate decision to deny them their rights.
Onwukwe said: "We had embarked on this strike before, but the Conference Of Speakers of the thirty six State Assemblies and the Governors' Forum appealed to us that all our entitlements would be settled after their meeting.
We agreed and the time they gave us has elapsed. Some states have started paying and meeting the needs of their staff, but here in Anambra State House of Assembly, nothing has been done.
"We are talking about the payment of enhanced salary called CONYRESS, staff training, provision of laptops, establishment of ICT unit, employment of more staff and provision of utility vehicles for the House of Assembly."
"We trek from one office location to another under the sun, while those that we are working for are cruising in air condition vehicles."
"It might not be far from the truth that Gov Charles Soludo may have provided all these things, but they are nowhere to be found and this is unfortunate."
"The House of Assembly compound has been overgrown by grass and staff of the Assembly kill all manner of reptiles, snakes and scorpions almost every week, which shows that this place is not conducive to work."
Reacting to the protest, the Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, Hon Ikenna Ofodeme dismissed the workers' claims, accusing them of a deliberate attempt to disrupt the activities of the legislature.
According to him, it is only the Anambra State PASAN that is on strike, adding that they are not on strike because their statutory payments are not being paid, but because of their welfare which has to do with allowances.
He said:"This is Anambra State House of Assembly and most of those staff are strictly under the office of the Head of Service who are posted to come and work with the state Assembly members."
"They are duty bound to listen to where they are posted and know exactly what they are expected to do. And whereby they don't want to work at the House of Assembly, they are free to go back to the Head of Service and not to come here to disrupt the activities of the House of Assembly."
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