The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki has assured protesting staff of National Assembly under the aegis of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, that their entitlements would be settled soon. The protesters had occupied the National Assembly Complex on Tuesday morning, preventing Legislators from accessing their offices and Chambers to carry out legislative assignments.
They accused the leadership of the National Assembly over the non-payment of their allowances among other welfare issues.
The Senate President who later addressed the protesters amidst tumultuous chants of 'no alert, no sitting' said the Speaker of the House of Representatives had taken responsibility for the delay in the payment of their entitlements. He assured them that the National Assembly will source for money to clear the arrears.
“As the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, we accept responsibility for the nonpayment of part of your allowances. We will find money anywhere to pay you, but you should give us time to do that.
“Please give us time between now and Friday this week so that the leadership could sit with the NASS management over this issue,” he said.
Meanwhile, the workers are insisting that their allowances be paid in full before the National Assembly Complex would be reopened.
