The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) has protested the non – implementation of financial autonomy for all State Houses of Assembly in the country.
PASAN had earlier issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to fully implement the financial autonomy for all State Houses of Assembly.
The President of PASAN, Mr Muhammad Usman, on Tuesday in Abuja while addressing newsmen during the protest said that the implementation for the policy was long overdue.
The protesters were with placards with inscriptions such as “No financial autonomy, no legislation’ ’Legislative Financial Autonomy is a constitutional right’’, “Constitution is supreme’’, “Governors forum not superior to the constitution’’, among others.
Usman said that the workers had waited for two years without seeing any concrete move to the implementation of the policy.
“You will recall that we send an ultimatum in respect to the financial autonomy for all state legislatures and till now, nothing has been done.
“We have issued the first 21 days ultimatum which has expired and we have even issued another 14 days ultimatum that has also expired.
“We are here to share our grievances and to get what is rightfully ours and that is the independence of the legislature, ’’he said.
He added that the president of Federal Republic of Nigeria had granted the implementation of the financial autonomy and the Order 10 but it was still denied.
He, however, alleged that the Nigerian Governors Forum was aiming at frustrating the implementation of the financial autonomy for the State Houses of Assembly independence.
“Today, we are here to tell them that enough is enough, they cannot deny the independence of the legislature and we will not accept it.
“Because the legislative autonomy will strengthen democracy and again strengthen the legislative processes.
“So, anybody standing against this and denying us the financial autonomy, we will use everything to fight for the struggle, ‘’ he said.
Speaking, the PASAN Financial Secretary, Mr Promise Onwukwe, said that the non-implementation of the financial autonomy for all State Houses of Assembly threatened democracy in the country.
Onwukwe said that democracy in the country needed to be strengthening and not be divided.
“Without separation of power, we cannot make any head way and that is why we have gathered here to tell the whole world that Nigeria constitution must be obeyed.
“We must strictly adhere to the Nigerian constitution and must correct all these imbalances.
“If the financial autonomy is not implemented, there will be no clear separation of power of what makes democracy to be beautiful, ‘’he added.
