By Sunday Iduh
The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), has given a 14-day ultimatum to the federal government to ensure the full implementation of financial autonomy for state legislature or face industrial action.
In a letter to all the state branches of the association after the recent meeting of the Central Working Committee (CWC) and made available to the press by the Benue State Chairman of PASAN, Francis Adole, the association vowed that if the government fails to meet their demand at the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum, they would be left with no other option than to withdraw their services and shutdown the National Assembly and state houses of assembly.
In a circular, which was titled, ‘Issuance of a 14-day ultimatum on full implementation of financial autonomy for state legislature,’ and signed by the National President, Comrade Mohammed Usman and Acting General Secretary, Comrade Ikechukwu Alaribe, PASAN expressed dismay and disgust with the actions of some Nigerians and institutions, particularly the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) for aiming to not only discredit but to exterminate this democratic requisite through frustrating its implementation.
The circular reads in part: “Following the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum issued on 27th January, 2021, as communicated in our letter with reference number PASAN/NS/SGO/ 02, the Central Working Committee of the union met on February 17th, 2021 and after reviewing the whole situation resolved that the refusal to implement the said autonomy amounts to willful and deliberate act to stunt the growth of democracy in the country; as a nation, we can not make any meaningful growth and development if the legislature is not allowed to operate without interference from the other arms of government.
“On the strength of the above, the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria hereby further issues a 14-day ultimatum for your Excellency to implement the financial autonomy of state legislature in line with the Order 10 issued by your Excellency, as failure to implement same would leave the union with no option than to down tools in the 36 states Houses of Assembly, all their Commissions, the National Assembly and National Assembly Service Commission.”
The ultimatum which commences from 22 February, 2021 expires 7 March, 2021.
