PASAN Writes National Assembly On Condition Of Service

Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, (PASAN), National Assembly chapter has written to the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, appealing to them to wade into a brewing crisis occasioned by an alleged plot to stop the implementation of the revised condition of service for members.

The group said that the revised condition of service of the National Assembly which came into full implementation in May 2019 has become a subject of controversy as some very senior personnel were said to be working hard behind the scenes to scuttle the new deal.

But in a letter endorsed by nine executive members of PASAN to the National Assembly leadership, the Chapter dissociated itself from what it called an “ugly trend” that was threatening to tear apart their hard-earned revised condition of service.

The exco members included the Secretary, Suleiman Haruna; the Women Leader, Hassana Idris Danjuma; Auditor, Isaac .B. John; Assistant Secretary, Ejima Fidelis; Ex-Officio, Ede Sunday; Welfare Secretary, Taibat .A. Dawodu and Social Secretary, Veronica W.A. Gandu. Others were the Public Relations Officer, Odih Kingsley and the Legal Adviser, Muhammad Galadima.

The labour group, however, raised an alarm that some “faceless” groups were out to scuttle the implementation of the revised condition of service which it said took it over 19 years to secure its implementation.

It, therefore, called on the leadership of the National Assembly to step in and save the National Assembly staff from the machinations of the faceless groups. PASAN wrote: We are puzzled by the allegations by some faceless individuals under the aegis of Next Level Due Process Group that some provisions of the Revised Conditions of Service were smuggled into the initial proposal by the Management of the National Assembly.

It is pertinent we state categorically here that the whole idea of the revision of the condition of service of the National Assembly was initiated by PASAN, FCT Zonal Chapter (National Assembly and National Assembly Service Commission Chapters) in collaboration with the PASAN National Body and had guarded jealously, all the submissions made from the initiation to its final approval. We wish to add that there was never a time any person or group of persons smuggled any addition into the whole proposal.

The proposal came as a whole and went through the legislative process”. The association also appealed to Lawan and Gbajabiamila to ensure the full implementation of the revised condition of service.

“It is important sir, at this juncture, to cast your mind back at the ugly event of December 2018 when the National Assembly was shut down by the staff protesting the delay in the consideration of the Revised Condition Service, promotion letters etc.

“The 8th National Assembly in its wisdom considered and approved the Revised Condition of Service which implementation commenced since May 2019 to the joy of the staff.

Permit us to draw your attention to the faceless individuals who have exhibited their ignorance by alleging that the Revised Condition of Service requires Presidential assent when on the contrary, all it requires was the approval of the two chambers in line with the NASC Act 2014, as it is a quasi regulation.

The staff of the National Assembly never had a general meeting challenging the approved Revised Condition of Service nor protested against it till date. As elected representatives of our colleagues, it is our responsibility to see the complete and full implementation of the Revised Condition of Service which is their utmost desire.

“Your Excellency, Mr President of the Senate, Sir, we are perplexed that the National Assembly Service Commission as presently constituted is swayed by the allegation of some few faceless individuals to contemplate the full implementation of the Revised Condition of Service.

We represent the generality of the interest of staff of the National Assembly. “We, therefore, call on you to use your good offices and call the Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission and Hon. Members of the Commission to order to refrain from acting on such frivolous allegations to tamper with the Revised Condition of Service so as to forestall any civil unrest in National Assembly”, the letter read.

Source: Vanguard.