HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SPEAKER ASSURES NASS STAFF OF BETTER WELFARE PACKAGE 28-02-24
By Sadiq Aminu The Speaker of the House of Representatives Dr. Abbas Tajudeen, has assured the staff of the National Assembly under the umbrella of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, of better welfare under the current leadership of Parliament.
The Speaker, stated this when he received the leadership of PASAN led by the National President Comrade Muhammad Usman and the NASS chapter chairman, Comrade Sunday Sabiyi, his office.
Dr. Tajudeen said the welfare of staff of the National Assembly remains paramount to the leadership
The Speaker said 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.
He urged the PASAN leadership to be a bridge of reconciliation 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 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 in the near future. 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.”
Dr. Tajudeen, 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.
The PASAN national president, Comrade Usman, 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 occured 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 workers 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.