Anambra lawmakers may resume plenary Thursday despite Assembly workers’ strike
By Raymond Ozoji, Awka
There are very strong indications that the Anambra State House of Assembly Complex Awka may reopen for legislative business on Thursday, April 18.
Although investigations at the assembly complex on April 16 revealed that the House would have resumed plenary on April 11 but the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) industrial action stalled the resumption of legislative sessions because offices were closed in the complex.
Recall that the Anambra state chapter PASAN led by Abraham Okoye had on March 28 joined her counterparts across the federation to begin an indefinite strike since state governments seemed complacent about the full implementation of autonomy for the legislature coupled with other lingering issues.
Anambra PASAN had on April 11 held an emergency meeting with the Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Nkemakonam Udeze, management staff of the State House of Assembly and representative of the national body of PASAN, where they arrived at the following resolutions: “That the strike continues pending when they are paid all their allowances that have been pending since 2019.
“That the union is not out to fight or witch-hunt the Speaker nor the Governor of the State but agitating for their right which has been denied them since 2019.
“That the union no doubt appreciates the good work which the governor is doing in the state including the facelift of the state House of Assembly and also the Rt. Hon. Speaker for his push to ensure further reshaping of the State House of Assembly complex.
“That it is quite obvious that the State’s condition is quite peculiar but cannot be compared with the State Judiciary which is another arm of government that had gotten her Judicial autonomy since 2020 while they are still pleading for legislative autonomy.
“That they have appealed to the State Government to do the needful so that they can call off the strike and consolidate further on the existing Legislative-Executive cordial relations.”
When this journalist visited the House of Assembly Complex in Awka on Tuesday April 16, he discovered that the entrance to the legislative chambers was locked and some of the workers who defied the strike to come to work were spotted sleeping on duty.
Meanwhile principal officers of the 8th legislature who had a prolonged crucial meeting with the Speaker on Tuesday, could not also have access to their offices because the office complex was under lock and key.
But the Deputy Minority Leader of the 8th Assembly and lawmaker representing Ogbaru One State Constituency, Hon. Noble Igwe, who spoke exclusively with this journalist on Tuesday shortly after the crucial meeting of principal officers with the Speaker, said the strike action was an internal issue and that members of PASAN have the right to demand for what was due to them even as he pointed out that the industrial impasse would be resolved.
Igwe disclosed that Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo was not sleeping over the issue instead he is working assiduously to make sure that the right thing is done.
He said the governor was not against autonomy for the legislature and that the Speaker is interfacing with the governor to ensure that their demands were met inorder to resolve the matter and call off the strike.
Igwe said his colleagues in the 8th Assembly just returned from the Easter break only to be held back again by the strike embarked upon by assembly workers even though he expressed hope that the House may reconvene for plenary on Thursday this week.
Igwe however maintained that the strike would not continue because according to him, what Anambra PASAN is agitating for is what the governor can easily do for them.
Also another principal officer of the 8th assembly, Hon. Paul Obu, who represents Orumba-North Constituency and doubles as the Minority Whip of the House, corroborated what his colleague said, confirming that there is 100 percent likelihood that the House of Assembly would resume plenary on Thursday this week.
Obu said members of the 8th Assembly feel the pains and plights of assembly workers but stated too that with dialogue the impasse would be resolved amicably.
Confirming the meeting of principal officers with the leadership of the House, Obu told this journalist that the Speaker was on top of the matter and doing everything possible to get PASAN members back to work to enable the lawmakers to reconvene for their constitutional legislative duties.
