Members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) in Edo State, yesterday, barricaded the gate to the state House of Assembly, denying lawmakers access to the chamber.
  
The move followed expiration of an ultimatum to the government for implementation of financial autonomy in Houses of Assembly in the country.
Addressing newsmen, the chairman of Edo State chapter, Umaru Farouk Haruna, disclosed that National President, Mohammed Usman, had directed all chairmen and secretaries to mobilise members for full compliance with the protest.
  
PASAN members were seen barricading the premises of the Assembly, when The Guardian visited. According to Haruna, the action became necessary after the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum issued to the 36 state governors, and a further one-week extension.
  
He said: “The issue of autonomy is a constitutional matter. It has been passed by the National Assembly and was assented to by immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari. All we need is for the government to start implementation. But as we speak, today, nothing has been done. The 36 state Houses of Assembly…you can call them rubber stamps because they are not on their feet, simply because they are not autonomous. We are not just fighting for the staff of legislators; we are also fighting to deepen the dividends of democracy for Nigerians.”
  
Similarly, PASAN members shut down the Oyo State House of Assembly.The aggrieved staff bore placards with inscriptions, such as: ‘Legislative financial autonomy is a constitutional right’, ‘There is no democracy without rule of law’, ‘PASAN demands full implementation of CONLESS and other allowances at 100 per cent’ and ‘We say no to executive slavery’.
    
State chairman, Yemi Alade, said: “We are on strike over non-implementation of legislative financial autonomy. The strike is indefinite. This place will remain shut until our demands are met.”
  
In Ogun State, PASAN chairman, Ojediran Ayotunde, who addressed congress at the entrance of the Assembly in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, said the action was in strict compliance with the directive of the national secretariat.
  
“For us in Ogun State, this strike is cumulatively targeted at ensuring financial autonomy for state legislatures nationwide, in compliance with Section 10(2), 13 & 14 of the Statutory Offices (State Emoluments) Amendment Law, 2018; and the State Assembly Service Commission Law, 2018, likewise the payment of additional 40 per cent Peculiar Allowance to legislative staff,” Ayotunde said. He expressed optimism that Governor Dapo Abiodun “will do the needful and immediately attend to our demands within record time”.