Delta Assembly, parliamentary staff on collision course over unfulfilled agreement
The cordial relationship that had existed between the leadership of the Delta State House of Assembly and its Parliamentary Staff Association (PASAN), was threatened on Monday when the aggrieved union members shut the main gate of the House for several hours insisting on the fulfillment of the agreement they claimed to have been reached with the leadership of the House.
While the union’s peaceful protest lasted, the speaker, Mr. Monday Igbuya said the protest was ill-motivated, adding that what they were asking for may be far cry considering the current economic recession.
But the protesters in solidarity songs “we need our agreement fulfilled, Mr. speaker you must attend to our needs, we will not accept empty promises” threatening that until their demands are met peace might not be witnessed in the House.
Meanwhile, in a communique the union issued and signed Comrade Emmanuel Edozie its chairman, and Comrade Emmanuel Osubor Secretary respectively, a copy made available to our reporter, stated that arising from a meeting of Congress of the parliamentary Staff Association, Delta State House of Assembly held on 31st October, 2016, the following resolution were reached: “That congress resolved to impress on the speaker including other principal officers to fill in the vacant position of the Deputy Clerk of the House as stipulated in the existing law, That the payment of 2016 wardrobe allowance of the members be carried out without delay as stipulated in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) earlier reached with the House leadership, That the leadership of the House should commence payment of outstanding benefits to the deceased staff relations, That the House should adequately fund and recruit medical personnel (especially doctors) for the House clinic and the House should as a matter of urgency review upward staff impress, while the communique stated that the union on expiration of two weeks from 31st October, 2016, may resume suspended industrial action, it averred that the strike action will remain indefinite until its demands are met.
In a swift reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Henry Ebierere, said the protest was carried out by some “miscreants” among the PASAN Union, dismissing the purported agreement reached with the House leadership.
