National Assembly workers, under the auspices of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, on Monday, commenced daily picketing of the federal parliament.
The workers occupied the central foyer of the White House section of the National Assembly Complex, which houses the Senate and House of Representatives chambers.
They said the picketing would be held daily till next week, which would be followed by a strike.
Federal lawmakers are billed to return from Christmas and New Year break on January 18.
The workers are protesting against unpaid salaries and allowances among others.
Chairman of PASAN, National Assembly chapter, Sunday Sabiyi, said the workers would continue the protests until the lawmakers resume.
He said, “We are here to say we have been denied our rights. Precisely, the minimum wage since 2019, we have been denied till this year our arrears of 24 months. We are not fighting the CNA, we are not fighting the (National Assembly Service) Commission, we are not fighting the leadership of the National Assembly; we are fighting for our rights.
“Please, other ministries and parastatals have been paid from April 2019. Our own, they said January 1, 2020. All budgets and everything, we are the ones doing them there; we are the ones working on them. They have so many things but we don’t want to mention (them) but first is our minimum wage. Please, the National Assembly leadership, go back and rethink.
“We have agreed that our picketing will only last for two hours, then we will go back to the meeting. We will still come back to resume by tomorrow, again. (The) commission, their own will be tomorrow. From there, we will take (a) decision, going back again for the picketing till on the 17th and 18th (of January). This one, we are doing it for our management. The next one will be for the leadership – the legislators: the Senate and the House of Reps. Then, we will now pronounce we will embark on strike if nothing is being done. We will not be sell-outs.”
