15 Months Unpaid Salary: NASS staff goes spiritual, sends SOS to Tinubu, EFCC, ICPC

Legislative Aides in the 9th National Assembly have begun to seek spiritual assistance on the alleged withholding of their 15 months salary by the Clerk and management of the National Assembly, Alhaji Sani Mogaji Tambuwal just as they have cried out to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to save the soul of the poor staffers who are affected by this unlawful act.

It was gathered that the workers who left office in June 2023, were enrolled into the service of the National Assembly on May, 2021, after serving as Legislative Aides for two years, they were starved for 15 out of the 24 months of service.

These affected staff who worked in the office of the Principal officers, of the 9th Assembly, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, the then President of the Senate and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, who is otherwise the Chief of Staff to the President, numbering 280, said they have made series of efforts legitimately to drive home the demand for payments of these Salary arrears but all the attempts made fell to deaf ear of the National Assembly Management.

In a statement issued by the conveners of the prayers, Mr. Sulaiman Abbas and Joseph Isah, asked the affected staff to observe fasting and prayers on today (Friday) where the prayer points will seek God’s intervention to touch the hearts of the Clerk of the National Assembly and present Senate President, Godswill Akpabio in approving the payments to them.

The statement partly read, “Arising from the meeting of the affected Staff of the 9th NASS, whose 15 months salary have been withheld by the management since June, 2023 at the expiration of the 9th Assembly, held within the complex of the National Assembly on November 15 , 2023, affected staff are informed that Friday and Sunday, November 17 and 19, , 2023 has been declared days of fasting and prayer.

“This is connected with unpaid salaries and other allowances. We are to observe the fasting and prayer in line with the beliefs and gather at noon to offer prayers. We believe that the owner of the universe will intervene.

“We authoritatively gathered that these salaries were paid by the then Finance Minister, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed to the National Assembly management months ago but the hierarchy diverted the funds for an unexplainable purposes, leaving us in perpetual suffering and our entire family. We have explored all available channels to seek payment of our salaries to no avail. And when you have someone who is mightier than you, inflicting pains and sorrows on you and your family, you have to leave the fight for God to intervene. Reason for these two days fervent prayers.

The affected Staffers called on President Tinubu and the Chairmen of the anticorruption bodies in the country, the ICPC and EFCC to stand by the oaths made to Nigerians while taking the responsibilities of offices, which are to stand for truth and justice, to treat all Nigerians with equity and fairness and ensure full payment of these withheld salaries in order to ameliorate the plights caused them by these dastardly act.

Signed

Suleiman Abbas

The black man is evil!

How can NASS members be controlling billions and their workers be coming to work hungry?!