The leadership of the National Assembly has directed the Police and the
Directorate of State Securty (DSS) to ensure adequate security within
the vicinity of the National Assembly from tomorrow morning to enable
members and staff come in and perform their legitimate duties without
any hinderance.
The directive was passed after a meeting of the
joint leadership of the two chambers with the management and
representatives of the security agencies.
According to a
statement signed Clerk of the National Assembly, Sanni Omolori, the
meeting was called by the political leadership to listen to the
management led by Omolori on efforts made so far to address the
grievances of the striking staff.
“The leadership of the
National Assembly called the meeting because they know that almost all
the issues raised by the striking workers were being addressed by the
management. And after listening to the CNA, it was unanimously agreed
that the management had made sufficient plans and efforts to address all
the grievances of the workers and ensure their happiness.
“We
were sure that the issues raised by the workers have been well attended
to and that it is necessary for the business of the National Assembly to
continue without any disturbance. Both chambers must hold their normal
plenary tomorrow morning to prepare the ground for the visit of
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, December 19, 2018 to present
the budget proposal to the joint sitting of the Senate and the House of
Representives.
“We have therefore mandated the security agencies
to perform their duty of maintaining law and order in the National
Assembly Complex and its surrounding. They must enforce the laws which
allow the striking workers to down tools if they choose to and also the
ones which restrain them from disturbing those who choose to work or
stop parliamentarians from entering the chambers or their offices to do
the work for which they were elected.
“Senators and members of
the House of Representives, their aides, other workers and people who
have legitimate business within the National Assembly Complex are
therefore advised to come in as they will be free to operate without any
hinderance and molestation.
“If the President Buhari is unable
to present the budget proposal on Wednesday as scheduled Nigerians
should hold the security agencies responsible for failing in their the
performance of their duties”, the leadership of the federal legislature
stated.
Meanwhile, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that
the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the called on the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led National Assembly to save the country
from what it described as a national embarrassment.
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