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Events have remained tumultuous in Nigeria since President Muhammadu Buhari made his latest trip to the United Kingdom late last month.
While the president is resting in London, back home, Nigeria is grappling with a fever of industrial actions by public servants. Those out on strike include judiciary workers, resident doctors, parliamentary staff, Federal Capital Territory workers and staff of polytechnics and monotechnics nationwide. The doctors, on Saturday, suspended their strike for four weeks after some concessions from the federal government.
There have also been renewed attacks on security facilities across the country, particularly in the Southeast, as the face-offs continue between security operatives and criminals.
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There has been a debate on the need for full autonomy for state legislature to enable it to perform better.
An ongoing strike by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) is seeking to get the federal government to implement financial autonomy for state legislature.
Also, the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) had
declared an indefinite nationwide strike to protest the government’s failure to implement financial autonomy for the judiciary.
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Speaking on Monday in Jos when he received a delegation of speakers of state houses of assembly, the governor said the issue of autonomy will soon be put to rest.
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The National Assembly management and staff of the federal parliament finally resolved their grievances on Tuesday.
The workers under the aegis of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria had issued strike threats and series of ultimatum to the management.
They had asked the Clerk to the National Assembly, Olatunde Ojo, to attend to their demands or risk industrial action.
However, the management signed a memorandum of understanding with the staff on Tuesday and granted all their demands except one.
The MoU spelt out detailed timelines for implementation.
The signing of the MoU, by both parties, had therefore forced PASAN to shelve its planned strike to shut down administrative and legislative activities, starting from Wednesday, April 14, 2021.
Speaker: House to resolve parliamentary staff pending issues soon today.ng - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from today.ng Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Again, legislative aides protest non-payment of salaries
The legislative aides have not been paid since the inauguration of the 9th Assembly in June 2019.
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Some legislative aides to federal lawmakers staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday to demand unpaid salaries and allowances.
The lawmakers had just resumed plenary after a three-week Easter break.
The aides, positioned at the lobby between both chambers of the National Assembly, held placards and chanted words asking lawmakers and the Clerk of the National Assembly, Olatunde Ojo, to pay salaries and allowances.
The Clerk, they said, have failed to pay salary arrears, minimum wage, implement Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS), Duty Tour Allowances (DTA), among others.