By Austin Ogwuda
THE commemoration of the First Anniversary of the 8th Delta State House of Assembly scheduled to commence tomorrow Tuesday, 4th June 2024, with a Press Conference by the Speaker, Rt Hon Emomotimi Dennis Guwor, may flop as the striking Assembly workers refuse to call off the strike action.
The Chairman of the Anniversary Committee, Hon. Engr. Emeka Nwaobi on Monday (today) rolled out the time-table for activities marking the anniversary.
According to Nwaobi who is also the Majority Leader of the House, the celebration kicks off tomorrow (Tuesday) with a Press Conference holding at the Chapel, Legislators’ Quarters, Asaba by 8am.
Other programmes for the event include a Novelty Football Match between the Delta State Executive Council Exco led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the Legislators, led by the Speaker, Rt Hon Emomotimi Guwor at St Patrick’s College field, West End, Asaba, on Saturday 8th June, at 4 pm.
“On Sunday 9th June 2024, a Thanksgiving Service is scheduled for 10am at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Region 34 Headquarters, Unity Model Parish, Behind Junior Staff Quarters, Asaba”, according to the statement.
It further added that a reception to climax the event will take place immediately after the Thanksgiving Service at the Legislators’ Quarters, Okpanam road, Asaba”.
However information reaching The Townhall indicated that the Assembly complex was still under lock as at the time of filing in this report.
It was gathered that the striking workers held a brief meeting in front of the locked Assembly gate Monday morning (today) and vowed that none of its members shall be part of the forthcoming 8th anniversary of the Assembly scheduled to commence tomorrow (Tuesday, June 4, 2024).
The Assembly staff members under the umbrella of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), have vowed to continue the ongoing indefinite strike embarked upon last Wednesday the very day of the first year anniversary of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori in office.
Recall that the Speaker of the State Assembly, RT Hon Guwor held a meeting with the leadership of the PASAN last week asking them to call off the strike but the workers’ leadership didn’t agree thereby leading to a deadlock.
The Speaker had told the union leaders that “it was more worrisome that the workers chose to commence the industrial action on the break of the first year in office of the State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, when Deltans were celebrating God’s grace upon the state and the milestones achieved by the Governor within just a year”.
The bone of contention necessitating the strike according to PASAN “is the non-funding of the Assembly clinic and failure to approve and pay the Staff Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS) which has remained an issue of dispute for almost three years; the failure of Assembly leadership to regularise the appointment of casual staff members, train workers and pay all their entitlements, among others”.
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