Strike will delay Buhari's presentation of 2019 budget - NANS tells NASS staff

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has appealed to National Assembly Workers, under the aegis of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), to shelve their ongoing strike.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that business activities at the National Assembly complex, Abuja was paralysed on Monday, December 17, as members of PASAN commenced a 4-day warning strike which will run till Thursday, December 20.

The National Assembly workers are demanding payment of their outstanding salary arrears, allowances and other welfare packages. NANS national public relations officer, Bestman Okereafor, made the appeal in in Enugu.

Okereafor said that the ongoing strike would cause a major setback as regards the 2019 national budget presentation by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, December 19, to a joint session of parliamentarians.


He noted that if not checked, the strike would affect the 2019 appropriation if relevant agencies and government offices concerned do not find lasting solutions to the demand of the PASAN members.

According to him, this is coming in the face of the consistent industrial actions embarked upon by various unions in the different sectors, especially in the education sector.

NAN’s image maker expressed concern that the negative development of the various strike in the education sector was becoming absolutely unbearable for Nigerian students.

“It is no more news that the Academic Staff Union Of Polytechnics (ASUP) has also joined the league, even as Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is still on strike.

“Yet, PASAN has shut down the National Assembly over a mirage of issues and this shut down will definitely affect the proposed 2019 Budget Presentation by President on Dec. 19.

“If the presentation is delayed and presented next year, there will be spiral negative effect of the late presentation on our economy generally,’’ he said.

It had been reported that federal lawmakers were forced to vacate the NASS complex on Monday, December 17, after civil servants under the aegis of members of PASSAN cut off electricity and water supply in the building as part of their four-day warning strike.

The workers embarked on the industrial action to demand for the payment of their outstanding salary arrears, allowances and other welfare package.