ONYEDI GABRIEL, PORT HARCOURT
Angry parliamentary on Tuesday barricaded the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex located on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt over the non-implementation of financial autonomy for the state legislature.
The workers protested under the auspices of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), Rivers State chapter.
They erected canopies in front of the assembly and prevented entry into and exit of people from the complex.
Some of the placards bore messages such as ‘No arm of government should enslave the other’, ‘no subjugation of legislative control’, ‘Governors forum free the legislature’, among others.
Speaking, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Beatrice Itubo said the constitution stipulated that the legislative arm should be autonomous financially but expressed sadness that some highly placed individuals were frustrating it.
She said: “So the national leadership of PASAN has directed that all state chapters, including the federal capital should go on indefinite strike. Today is just the beginning and they have to picket the complex so that people can know that they are going on the strike.”
Itubo said implementing financial autonomy would allow the assembly to function and draw up their own budgets and work accordingly.
She said: “There will be freedom and they can begin to pass independent bills because they are being tele-guided. That is what we don’t want”.
Also speaking, Chairperson, PASAN, Rivers State chapter, Comfort Osuene said that the protest signalled the beginning of an indefinite strike action.
“We know that he that pays the piper dictates the tune. So if the legislature keeps going cap in hand for approval, for money, then the executive will continue to control the legislature”, she said.