From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State House of Assembly workers under the aegis of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) has shut down the Assembly complex over the non-implementation of autonomy to state Houses of Assembly.
A Daily Sun visit to the complex on Tuesday observed that the main entrance to the Assembly was locked and barricaded with branches of leaves.
Speaking with newsmen on behalf of state executive of the association, the state chairman, Anas Ibrahim Sanusi, said that the strike action was meant to press home the implementation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Executive Order to give financial autonomy to Houses of Assembly around the country.
He said that the 2020 Executive Order was suspended without a cogent reason.
‘That is why we are complying with the directive of our National body to join the strike and to shut down the complex,’ he said.
Sanusi said that the strike would be indefinite until the demands of the union are met, stressing that they have not been harassed by any security personnel since they shut down the Assembly complex.
He denied rumours of exempting senior staff from the strike, saying that management staff and even cleaners have joined the industrial action.
Sanusi pointed out that the lawmakers are going to be the major beneficiaries of the Executive Order because it will give them more power as well improve checks and balances between the legislature and the executive.