By: Sunday Ameh
The management of the National Assembly has warned aggrieved parliamentary workers against embarking on their planned protest and picketing of the complex as lawmakers prepare to resume plenary on Tuesday.
The warning follows threats by members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) to begin industrial action over alleged unresolved welfare and constitutional issues affecting workers.
In a circular issued on Sunday by the Secretary of Human Resources and Staff Development, Essien Eyo Essien, on behalf of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, the management cautioned that any attempt to disrupt legislative activities would attract severe disciplinary action.
“It must be emphasised that membership of PASAN or any union is entirely voluntary. Any staff member, whether executive or regular, who is dissatisfied with the conduct of union affairs may freely withdraw their membership,” the circular read.
Essien noted that within seven months of assuming office, the present management had introduced several reforms aimed at improving efficiency and boosting staff morale.
He further instructed all workers to ignore calls for industrial action, including any form of “work-to-rule” or “unlawful picketing,” assuring staff of safety and security within the National Assembly premises.
“The management remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the overall well-being of staff,” he added.
However, some “Concerned PASAN Members” had in a petition dated October 3, 2025, accused the management of intimidation and interference in union matters.
The group alleged that members were being queried and threatened with suspension for demanding the presentation of audited accounts and compliance with the PASAN Constitution (2015).
They also faulted the recognition of executive officers earlier removed by Congress, describing it as “a violation of internal democracy.”
Beyond union disputes, the workers listed several welfare-related grievances, including correction of salary shortfalls, remittance of statutory deductions, full implementation of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure, and payment of outstanding allowances.
Other demands include the implementation of the 40% consolidated peculiar allowance for federal workers, provision of official vehicles and staff buses, capacity-building training, and enforcement of the National Assembly Service Pension Board (Establishment) Act, 2023.
As lawmakers resume plenary on Tuesday, observers say how management handles the workers’ grievances could determine whether normal legislative business proceeds smoothly or faces disruption at the heart of Nigeria’s lawmaking complex.
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