Legislative Aides Protest Unpaid Salaries, Allowances

• Pro, anti-Abdulmumin protests continue

Damilola Oyedele in Abuja

The lobby of the National Assembly was wednesday besieged by legislative aides who were protesting the non-payment of their salaries and allowances which they said run into N1.5 billion.

The protesters also lamented that there were being denied training benefits and welfare packages despite assurances by management.

An aide, Mr. Yusuf Modu, said the permanent staff were being regularly paid by the management despite excuses of unavailability of funds.

“I don’t know why this discrimination exists despite the important role we play to senators and members of the House of Representatives. Today’s protest is to tell management that enough is enough, next time we storm this place, we will not allow the Speaker and the Senate President enter the chambers until they address us,” he said.

Another aide, Kingsley Uche, said they were yet to receive their salary for September.
“Our entitlements such as transport allowance for five quarters of the year, this is since last year -has not been paid to us. It’s the same for our 28-day allowance which has not been paid to most of us. We are entitled to training at least one each quota but till date, we have never been sent for training,” he said.

The Director of Information at the National Assembly, Mr. Isyaku Dibal, while reacting to the protest, said it was not deliberate that the aides have not been paid.

“Their monies come along with salaries and allowances of legislators they work with, from the federal government,” he said.

In another development, the main gate of the National Assembly was also besieged by protesters in favour of suspended lawmaker, Hon. Jibrin Abdulmumin and those against him.
Anti Abdulmumin protesters commenced their protests on Tuesday bearing placards demanding for his recall by his constituency.

They continued on Wednesday morning but were joined by protesters protesting the embattled lawmaker’s suspension.

There was however no clashes between the two groups as security men were at hand to ensure there was no breakdown of order.