The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, has assured the staff of the National Assembly under the umbrella of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) of better welfare under the current leadership of Parliament.
The Speaker, who received the leadership of PASAN led by the National President Comrade Muhammad Usman and the NASS chapter chairman, Comrade Sunday Sabiyi, on a thank-you visit at his office on Tuesday, said the welfare of staff of the National Assembly remains paramount to the leadership.
Speaker Abbas stated that while Nigerians have legitimate reasons to express sadness, the current administration requires some level of patience and time to implement initiatives and programmes aimed at improving the standard of living of the citizens.
Speaker Abbas urged the PASAN leadership to be a bridge of conciliation between the National Assembly leadership and organised labour by conveying his message of hope and assurances on behalf of the president to the workers, adding that a positive change is closer to them than ever.
“My appeal to you as the National President of PASAN is to please help to tell your other colleagues in the Labour leadership to please give this government a little more time. There are so many things that are under consideration, things that the government is trying to come up with for the benefit of Nigerians. So, please help us to tell them to exercise patience and that something very good will come out very soon.
“I know of a lot of palliatives, reviews of salaries and welfare packages that are most likely coming on board shortly. Please, communicate to them that we know their pains and their problems and we will not let them down. They should give us more time.”
He commended the PASAN leadership for coming to show gratitude for his recent interventions, which they reported have yielded positive outcomes in terms of improved welfare packages for National Assembly staff and payment of pending allowances by the new management.
“I’m delighted to receive you again for the second time. I remember a few months ago, we had cause to meet where you presented a lot of issues bordering on the association. To God be the glory, you have acknowledged that the issues have been handled as requested.
“The only outstanding thing is your arrears, which was tied down to the refusal of the Salaries and Wages Commission to do what they ought to have done. We invited them here in the National Assembly to discuss that issue. The chairman promised that he would get back to us with a solution to that issue. I’m surprised that up till now he hasn’t. I want to assure you that we will send and ask him to come back and tell us what’s happening.
“One way or the other, we will not allow that entitlement of yours to go in vain.
We will get that money paid to you within this year,” Speaker Abbas said.
The PASAN national president, Comrade Usman, had earlier informed the Speaker that the delegation was in his office to assure him and the National Assembly leadership of their support and cooperation in appreciation of the positive changes that have occurred since the Speaker came on board.
He said the National Assembly Management has paid the backlog of allowances owed workers for many years, as well as other entitlements, saying for that reason, the union would wholeheartedly welcome and support the new parliamentary worker’s retirement age bill of additional five years passed by the House.
He assured the Speaker that the Labour protest to the parliament, which was joined by PASAN members on Tuesday, was not in any way meant to cause the National Assembly leadership any discomfort or embarrassment, but merely a show of solidarity as an affiliate body of the organized Labour.
He assured the Speaker and Members that PASAN would continue with its maximum support and cooperation to enable the 10th National Assembly to succeed in its legislative agenda.