Budget presentation faces additional threat as NASS workers begin strike

The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) has revealed that it will embark on a four-day warning strike beginning from Monday.

Bature Mohammed, chairman of the association, said the decision to embark on the strike was taken at an emergency congress held on Friday.

The strike would commence two days to the presentation of the 2019 budget by President Muhammadu Buhari, posing a threat to its occurrence.

In a letter to the National Assembly last week, the president requested to lay the budget on Wednesday.

Prior to this development, Senator Ali Ndume had revealed that Senate President Bukola Saraki had yet to read Buhari’s letter notifying of budget presentation, casting doubt on Wednesday.

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On December 4, the workers shut down activities at the National Assembly, preventing lawmakers from sitting.

The strike was suspended after Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the House of Representatives, intervened.

They directed Mohammed Sani-Omolori, clerk of the assembly, to ensure that the workers’ demands were met.

The staff are demanding to be paid outstanding salaries and allowances. The workers also want to be put on the consolidated legislative salary structure (CONLESS).

Mohammed said the warning strike is in a bid to press home the demands of the association, and directed all members of the association to stay away from their duty posts during the period.

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