Parliamentary Workers Raise the Alarm over Influx of Thugs Into National Assembly

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The National Assembly branch of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria(PASAN), has raised the alarm over the security threat being posed  by political thugs and other unauthorised persons in and around the apex legislative institution.

PASAN has therefore, vowed to secure the National Assembly complex for lawmakers and other staff working in there.

This was coming against the backdrop of the influx of political thugs, who come in to the National Assembly during Budget defence and other sessions.

The young men and women constitute great nuisance daily as they harass federal lawmakers and heads of ministries, departments and agencies of government, on assignment to defend their budgets.

Specifically, the political thugs demand money and embarrass those who failed to give them.

PASAN chairman, Sunday Sabiyi, stated this yesterday, while addressing journalists on the activities lined up for the PASAN week,  from 27th November to 3rd of December 2022.

He said the parliamentary staff would take up the issue with the management and urged every authorised persons to the National Assembly to be security conscious and report negative activities to the security personnel within the complex.

He said: “Security is everybody’ business. It has happened to us sometime, we were coming into the NASS complex when some thugs blocked us before we could apprehend them they ran away. We are going to take it up with management

“We have so many plans to make the National Assembly secure and we believe the new CNA will agree with us to tackle insecurity to follow the process to see that the environment is secured.”

“We are also going to enforce the code of dressing in this place. Not only the security, because sometimes you see some women not properly  dressed.”

He confirmed that so many unauthorised  persons find their ways into the National Assembly including security operatives who are sometimes armed.

Sabiyi said: “They are not supposed to come into NASS with their guns but we find out that some  are doing so why?”

He used the opportunity to formally congratulate the newly appointed acting Clerk to the National Assembly Mr. Daniel Tanbuwa and other new management staff.

In view of the near management crisis that witnessed the emergence of the new clerk, PASAN urged the leadership of the National Assembly Service Commission to always be steadfast and give necessary directive that would enhance harmonious working relationship in the National Assembly.

He said: “What is going on in the National Assembly  is a management issue and not political.  We as staff,  we don’t want chaos or trouble, all we want is harmonious working relationship.

“Everybody knows that there are procedures and service conditions that must be followed at every point in time. It is only in an harmonious works place that staff can be taken care of.”