The staff of the Delta State Legislature under the umbrella of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, have embarked on indefinite strike.
A visit to the Delta State Assembly complex showed that the gates were under lock and key on Thursday morning.
The workers, protesting the governor’s alleged failure to implement key campaign promises, accused him of being indifferent to their legitimate welfare demands.
Governor Oborevwori had pledged to implement the Staff Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure, CONLESS, upon assumption of office.
Ironically, one year later, the promise remained unfulfilled, leading to widespread disappointment and frustration among the assembly staff.
Prior to the strike action, the staff of Delta State Assembly held a meeting on Tuesday at the assembly complex and came up with a communique.
The communique, addressed to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Emomotimi Guwor, was signed by the state chairman of PASAN, Emmanuel Edozie and the secretary, Emmanuel Osubor, copies of which were also sent to all directors, National President of PASAN, Commissioner of Police in Delta State, Director of DSS in Delta State and the chairman of NLC in the state, among others.
The communique recalled how an earlier strike scheduled for February 28, 2024 was suspended following the intervention of Conference of Speakers and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to allow for full implementation of financial autonomy and payment of CONLESS and establishment of the House of Assembly Service Commission in states that have not passed the law and other issues that affect the legislature.
The communique stated: “The two weeks appeal given to us by the Speaker to allow a committee set up by His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, to work out modalities of payment of CONLESS to staff, have since elapsed without any substantial progress.
“Congress frowns that after the said committee has been given more than two months to work to fulfill it’s mandate of payment of CONLESS, it is yet to come up with a decision. Congress views these delay tactics as a ploy to deprive staff their entitlements and a sign that they lack the political will to pay.
“Congress also expresses its displeasure that the other issues raised at the meeting of March, 28, 2024, bordering on training, funding of the DTHA clinic, regularisation of casual staff, among others, are yet to be addressed or given attention after two months.
“Congress have exercised enough patience, restraint in the face of the harsh economic downturn, understanding with the speaker and the committee set up by His Excellency the executive governor of Delta State and our patience have run thin.
“Arising from the above, congress do now resolve to resume the suspended industrial action effective Wednesday, May 29, 2024, indefinitely. Congress resolves that the resume strike action will only be resuspended in the event that approval and subsequent payment of CONLESS to staff and other issues enumerated above are addressed. ”
Delta State Speaker Guwor, who met with the leadership of PASAN, appealed to the workers to call off the strike.
He said that the strike action embarked upon by PASAN was unfortunate and worrisome, saying the issue at stake had nothing to do with owing of salaries as the state government is up to date with payments of salaries of its employees across the various arms of government.
The Speaker disclosed that the main issue of agitation is the implementation of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Scheme, CONLESS, in Delta State, which centered on enhanced salaries structure for the workers.
“The workers chose to commence the industrial action on the break of the first year in office of the State Governor, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, when Deltans were celebrating God’s grace upon the state and the milestones achieved by the Governor within just a year” Guwor lamented.
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