Be patient with us, Speaker Abbas appeals to Nigerians
Speaker Abbas Tajudeen said on Tuesday that while Nigerians have legitimate reasons to express sadness, the current administration requires some level of patience and time to implement initiatives and programmes aimed at improving the standard of living of the citizens.
The Speaker, who spoke when the National President of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) Comrade Muhammad Usman, visited him however assured staff of the National Assembly of better welfare under the current leadership of Parliament.
Special Adviser to the Speaker on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi quoted the Speaker as saying that the welfare of staff of the National Assembly remains paramount to the leadership.
He asked the PASAN leadership to be a bridge of conciliation between the National Assembly leadership and organised labour by conveying his message of hope and assurances on behalf of the president to the workers, adding that a positive change is closer to them than ever.
“My appeal to you as the National President of PASAN is to please help to tell your other colleagues in the Labour leadership to please give this government a little more time. There are so many things that are under consideration, things that the government is trying to come up with for the benefit of Nigerians. So, please help us to tell them to exercise patience that something very good will come out very soon.
“I know of a lot of palliatives, reviews of salaries and welfare packages that are most likely coming on board in the near future. Please, communicate to them that we know their pains and their problems and we will not let them down. They should give us more time.”
Speaker Abbas commended the PASAN leadership for coming to show gratitude for his recent interventions, which they reported have yielded positive outcomes in terms of improved welfare packages for National Assembly staff and payment of pending allowances by the new management.
“I’m really delighted to receive you again for the second time. I remember a few months ago, we had cause to meet where you presented a lot of issues bordering on the association. To God be the glory, you have acknowledged that the issues have been handled as requested.
“The only thing that’s outstanding is your arrears, which was tied down to the refusal of the Salaries and Wages Commission to do what they ought to have done. We invited them here in the National Assembly to discuss that issue.
“The chairman promised that he would get back to us with a solution to that issue. I’m surprised that up till now he hasn’t. I want to assure you that we will send and ask him to come back and tell us what’s really happening.
“One way or the other, we will not allow that entitlement of yours to go in vain. We will get that money paid to you within this year,” Speaker Abbas said.
