Fresh divisions have emerged within organised labour in Abia State after the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) distanced itself from a seven-day ultimatum issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the transfer of legislative workers.
The association said the Abia State chapter of the NLC acted without its approval when it demanded the reversal of staff postings involving officials of the parliamentary workers’ union.
According to PASAN, the ultimatum does not reflect the position of its leadership. The union urged the public to ignore statements suggesting it authorized the labour congress to negotiate or issue threats on its behalf.
PASAN Claims Talks With Government Are Ongoing
In a statement signed by Acting Chairman Anthony Nwaobilor and Public Relations Officer Adiele Loveday, the association disclosed that affected staff members had already resumed duties in their newly assigned ministries, departments and agencies.
The union also revealed that discussions with the Abia State Government on the implementation of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS) had reached an advanced stage.
PASAN maintained that it now operates under a new leadership team and remains committed to resolving outstanding issues through dialogue rather than public confrontations.
The association stated that it never authorized the NLC to issue any ultimatum in connection with the transfer of staff or negotiations on salary matters.
How The Dispute Began
The controversy started after the transfer of former PASAN State Chairman Sunday Kalu and Secretary Ucheka Ugochukwu from the Abia State House of Assembly.
Reacting to the development, Abia NLC Chairman Okoro Ogbonnaya demanded the immediate cancellation of the transfers. He also called on Head of Service Benson Ojeikere to restore the affected officials to their previous positions.
The labour leader argued that the redeployments raised concerns because they occurred amid demands for the implementation of the CONLESS salary structure for legislative workers.
According to him, PASAN’s National Executive Council had pushed for the salary package following the introduction of the new national minimum wage in 2024.
NLC Linked Transfers To Salary Dispute
Ogbonnaya claimed that the state government failed to honour commitments made during discussions on the salary structure.
He explained that CONLESS functions in a similar manner to salary systems used by health workers and teachers. The structure consolidates various allowances into workers’ basic pay.
The NLC chairman further alleged that tensions increased after parliamentary workers joined a nationwide protest that affected activities at the Abia State House of Assembly.
He recalled an incident in which a chain used to secure the Assembly gate during the protest was reportedly broken. According to him, the action further strained relations between labour groups and government officials.
Debate Over Assembly Staff Autonomy
The labour congress also questioned the legality of transferring elected PASAN officers outside the legislature.
Ogbonnaya argued that each arm of government operates with its own administrative framework and commission. He insisted that decisions concerning Assembly workers should come from the appropriate commission rather than the executive arm of government.
He further maintained that moving elected union leaders to other agencies could affect their ability to perform duties connected to their positions within PASAN.
Despite those concerns, the parliamentary workers’ union has now made it clear that it does not support the ultimatum issued by the NLC.
With negotiations reportedly continuing behind the scenes, attention is shifting toward the outcome of discussions between PASAN and the Abia State Government over the long-awaited implementation of CONLESS and other welfare matters affecting legislative staff.
