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Unpaid allowances: Court stops NASS workers from strike
National Assembly workers under the aegis of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN have been stopped by court from embarking on strike or engages in acts that could lead to the closure of the federal parliament.
Justice Sanusi Kado of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria gave the order retraining the leadership and members of the association from further strike action.
Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, dragged the PASAN members to the court, seeking an order to restrain the workers from closing down the federal parliament.
The parliamentary workers concluded their four-day warning strike over unpaid allowances on Thursday (yesterday), preparatory to a major industrial action which would lead to the closure of the National Assembly.
Saraki and Dogara in their motion exparte filed on December 18, and obtained by our correspondent on Thursday, are therefore seeking the order of the court, to retrain PASAN members from proceeding on strike, pending the determination of the motion on notice before it.
The affidavit in support of the motion on notice was deposed to by a legal practitioner in the office of the Senate President, Mr. Sambo Ndahi.
The motion on notice sought “an order of interim injunction restraining all the defendants/respondents, particularly their agents, provides, servants, however called from taking steps to proceed or proceeding on strike, pending the determination of the motion.
“An interim injunction restraining PASAN, their agents, privies, servants from giving directives to their members to proceed or proceeding on strike”.
Upon reading the affidavit and the submission of the counsel to the defendants, A.P Ameh, Justice Kado, in his “order of interim injunction”, on suit: NICN/ABJ/360/2018, directed the leadership of PASAN and their agents to refrain from proceeding on strike.
He also warned the striking workers against embarking on any action that could lead to the closure of the National Assembly complex.
The judge also cautioned the management of the National Assembly against embarking on any action that could disrupt the ongoing negotiations aimed at resolving the dispute.
He consequently warned the PASAN leadership against embarking any action that could culminate in the shut-down of the National Assembly complex.
The order further restrained the PASAN leadership against blocking access to the gate leading to National Assembly complex or prevents their members who desire to perform their lawful duties, from doing so.
PASAN had on Monday embarked on a four-day warning strike over unpaid allowances to the tune of N2.7 billion.
The workers were stopped from gaining access to the National Assembly on Wednesday when President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2019 appropriation bill.
Contact: info@royalnews.com.ng