The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) is threatening a total shutdown of the legislative arm of government across all tiers of governments over non implementation of financial autonomy for federal and state legislatures as contained in Executive Order 10.
To this end the workers issued a six days ultimatum to the National Assembly and the 36 state houses of assembly to implement the two years old Executive Order 10 with immediate effect
Members of the association from the 36 states of the federation assembled at the National assembly complex to register their grievances over non-implementation of the executive order that robs the state legislatures of their financial autonomy.
President of the Association, Mohammed Usman, told the representative of the Senate, Senator Godiya Akwashiki, that since the Executive Order 10 was signed into law by the President, PASAN as a critical stakeholder in the Legislative arm of government wrote the Governors Forum, the House Speakers of the 36 states and the office of the Auditor General of the Federation to implement the document but all correspondences have been ignored.
“This was followed by 21 days ultimatum they issued without any response; then the 14 days ultimatum, all in line with the Labour Act fell on deaf ears until its expiration and the current six days ultimatum.
Executive Order 10 (1a) says: “Without prejudice to any other applicable laws, legislations and conventions at the State tier of Government, which also provides for financial autonomy of State Legislature and State Judiciary, allocation of appropriated funds to the State Legislature and State Judiciary in the State appropriation laws in the annual budget of the State, shall be a charge upon the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State, as a First Line Charge.”
This, PASAN said has been flouted in the last two years, leaving the state assemblies at the mercy of governors.
He said the reason they came to the national assembly to protest was because the national assembly has the mandate of the people to intervene through resolutions and oversight to ensure compliance.
Addressing the protesters, Senator Godiya Akwashiki who represented the chsirman of the national assembly asked the association to shelve the six days ultimatum while he engages stakeholders for an amicable resolution of the matter.
▪︎ Main report by National Update
