We Will Get The Money To Pay You – Saraki Assures Protesting NASS Staff

After six hours of the closure of the National Assembly by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, over unpaid salaries and allowances, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has addressed the protesting staff.

The protest which successfully stopped Tuesday’s sitting as lawmakers of the upper and lower chambers were turned back, began at exactly 8am Tuesday by the National Assembly staff.

Saraki, in his address, said he and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have accepted responsibility for the non payment of allowances and those issues that formed the grievances of the staffers.

The leadership of the National Assembly who acknowledged that the workers were fighting for their right, assured that they would find money anywhere to pay the protesting parliamentary staff, noting that it was their entitlements.

“As the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, we accept responsibility for the non payment of part of your allowances.

“We will find money anywhere to pay you, but you should give us time to do that.

“Please give us time between now and Friday this week so that the leadership could sit with the NASS management over this issue,” he said.

Meanwhile, a female protester, who spoke with DAILY POST under the condition of anonymity, explained that the National Assembly management was in receipt of huge sums of money under the sub-heading that has to do with their allowances last week Thursday, stressing that it was on this basis that the protest would continue until they are paid.

She said, “We know what we are doing here. The issue of Friday appointment with the management will not be accepted. We have been hearing this for a long time. Let them pay us now.

“Just last week Thursday, the money we are talking was released by the Federal Ministry of Finance and we will not wait for it to be shared by the management as usual,” she insisted.