PASAN SOUTH SOUTH LEADER'S MEETS THE SPEAKER, CLERK AKWA IBOM STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ON COURTESY.

Williams Akpabio - AKHA (Aide), Uyo

Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey the Hon. Speaker Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and the Clerk Mrs Mandu Umoren represented by the Deputy Clerk on Thursday played host to the South South leadership of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN)

Comrade Louis Okeleke, the South South Zonal Vice President and Comrade Siso the National Ex-Officer of PASAN during a routine tour to Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly alongside  the entire State Exco of the apex Union of the House of Assembly, paid courtesy to the speaker of the Assembly. 

The Speaker in his usual way as the working Speaker regardless of protocols had audience with the labour leaders and welcomed them to the Assembly.

Responding to issues as presented by the Zonal Vice President and immediate past Chapter Chairman of River State House of Assembly and the Natioal Ex-officio representating South South and immediate Past Bayelsa State House of Assembly, the Speaker disclosed that PASAN demands can not function optimally in Akwa Ibom without financial autonomy  to the State Legislature as in Bayelsa, Enugu, Sokoto, Jigawa, Ogun, and other states even in the National Assembly because he can not make any policy statement on what concerns civil servant because his powers is limited to implementation. 

The Speaker rather urges the Union to meet with the Clerk, Deputy Clerks and the management, bring out memo on issues as it affect Staff welfares which he promised to make way to solicit Governor Udom Emmanuel for approval.

About Training, Rt. Hon. Bassey claired air that Assembly Staff Training  is purely under the covers of the Assembly Service Commission and the Head of Service.

In a vote of thanks, the Deputy Clerk of the House Anietie Eka Esq. who stood in for the Clerk of the House Mrs. Mandu Umoren thank the Honourable Speaker for finding time to meet with PASAN leaders even without notice irrespective of his tide schedule and appreciated his acceptance to fatherly intervene on the Union demands.

Earlier in his speech, Comrade Louis Okeleke, the Zonal vice president thank the Hon. Speaker for having his audience. He commended Speaker Bassey for the gesture shown to Akwa Ibom Parliamentary Workers during Covid - 19 Pandemic Lock down by providing palliatives and similarly, thanks him for passage of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Fund Management Bill to Law. 

Furthermore, Comrade Okeleke uses the avenue to highlight some pressing issues affecting staff welfares in the Chapter to include; Non payment of Outfit Allowances from 2015 - 2020, Non- Impementation of 35% Legislative Duty Allowance (LDA), Non Refunds of In-service  Training Allowances, Irregular Training and Re-training of Staff as well as Implementation of Consolidated Legislatative Salary Structure (CONLESS) as it's done in other States Houses of Assembly.

It could be recalled that Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey the Honourable Speaker has directed the Union to lias with the Clerk and management of the Assembly and raise memo to him for intervention.