NASS workers protest: Saraki, Dogara direct management to resolve issue by Friday

The President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, have directed the National Assembly Management Committee to resolve all issues raised by protesting members of staff before Friday.

A statement, Tuesday evening, by the Senate President media aide Yusuph Olaniyonu states that the National Assembly Management Committee headed by the Clerk, Alhaji Sani Omolori are to resolve all issues raised by protesting members of staff and report back by Friday.

Olaniyonu said Saraki and Dogra in a meeting attended by the National Assembly’s Management and members of staff under the umbrella of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), said “it was important for the workers to be well motivated and their demands properly addressed in order to create a conducive atmosphere for the legislature to perform its duties.”

He added that the Senate President and Speaker noted that the demands of the workers are part of the responsibilities of the National Assembly’s Management and that the grievances of the workers should not be allowed to linger.

The statement reads “The leadership of the National Assembly made it clear to the staff that the issues raised by them were previously unknown to the legislators and that even if they were known to the Senate President and the Speaker, the leadership could do little to address them because they fall under the purview of the NASS’s Management. They added that the constitution of the National Assembly Service Commission which the workers demanded will be made before Friday.

“The workers demanded for the implementation of the CONLESS system in the payment of their salaries and allowances, approval of new condition of service for the workers, among other issues. However, Dr. Saraki and Rt. Hon. Dogara, as well as their colleagues also reassured the workers that they will personally supervise how the management will eventually resolve the issues and ensure that the workers are not shortchanged”.