NASS Workers’ Strike, Intrigues May Scuttle 2019 Budget Presentation

ABUJA – President Muhammadu Buhari’s proposed visit to the National Assembly for budget presentation on December 19, may have come under threat following notice of a warning strike by aggrieved workers of the legislature.

Also, politicking at the National Assembly typified by the fact that as at December 13, when the Senate adjourned plenary for the week, no letter to that effect was read at plenary, is also fueling uncertainty around the presentation before the National Assembly adjourns for the year.

However, Ndume, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service has urged his colleagues to reconsider their position in the interest of the nation.

The implication, according to some analysts is that the development might worsen the poor implementation, which has become the bane of our budgets in recent times.

“Perhaps reflective of the wild misses in 2018, the 2019 budget process, which is already well-off the usual calendar schedule for passage, is in my view, and as with all election year budgets in Nigeria, is unlikely to record any serious implementation in terms of execution, as fiscal inertia is likely to exist over the first half of the year due to the election and lengthy transition period. But the situation might be heightened by the current development of likely non presentation to NASS next week,” says an analyst, who pleaded for anonymity.

In fact, while details of the budget are still sketchy, fiscal deficit and borrowings are forecast lower but oil prices at $60 per barrel sounds a tad optimistic in view of the steep plunge in oil over November 2018.

President Buhari, had on Thursday, December 13, written the leadership of the National Assembly to notify it of his readiness to present the 2019 budget estimates before a joint session of both houses on Wednesday, December 19.

But the anticipated visit may not hold as the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), National Assembly chapter has issued a notice to its members, asking them to stay off duties from Monday to Thursday next week.

The notice as contained in a letter obtained by our correspondent was addressed to the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and dated December 14, 2018.

In the letter jointly signed by the association’s chairman and secretary, comrades Musa Bature Muhammad and Sulaiman Haruna respectively, the union referred to its earlier communique of November 29, 2018 which led to leadership and management commitments that are yet to be fulfilled.

The letter reads in part: “Sequel to our notice of strike action(sic) contained in the communiqué dated  29th of November, 2018, the Congress of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, (PASAN), National Assembly chapter unanimously resolved at its emergency congress on December 14 to embark on a 4-day warning strike commencing from Monday, 17th – 20th December, 2018.

“By this notice, be kindly informed that the entire members of PASAN shall stay off their respective duties on the above mentioned dates”, the notice reads.

The notice was also copied the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani Omolori.

But Senator Ndume (APC, Borno South), at the weekend, pleaded with his colleagues in the Senate and House of Representatives not to boycott the 2019 Budget presentation by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ndume told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja that if the comment credited to the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr Udoma Udoma, on the budget it was unnecessary.

“I understand the reactions of the Honourable members, is as a result of the unnecessary comment credited to the Minister of Budget as to who is responsible for the delay.

“My take on this is that two wrongs do not make a right and I want to appeal to my colleagues in the House of Representatives to have a rethink because the President is not responsible for what the minister was alleged to have said.

“I feel national interest should be placed above any individual or group interest.

“As for the Senate, the letter from Mr President as to when to present the budget has not been read,” he said.

Some members of the House of Representatives had on Thursday threatened to boycott the budget presentation over reports that the minister blamed the National Assembly for delaying the process.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Dec. 6, in an executive communique, announced that he would present the 2019 Budget to the National Assembly on December 12.

However, as at December 13, when the Senate adjourned plenary for the week, no letter to that effect was read at plenary, creating uncertainty around the presentation before the National Assembly adjourns for the year.

Ndume, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service, urged his colleagues to reconsider their position in the interest of the nation.

“I understand the reactions of the Honourable members, is as a result of the unnecessary comment credited to the Minister of Budget as to who is responsible for the delay.

“My take on this is that two wrongs do not make a right and I want to appeal to my colleagues in the House of Representatives to have a rethink because the President is not responsible for what the minister was alleged to have said.

“I feel national interest should be placed above any individual or group interest.

“As for the Senate, the letter from Mr President as to when to present the budget has not been read,” he said.

However, when contacted for response, the House spokesman, Abdulrazak Namdas, (APC, Adamawa), assured that the House leadership has waded into the matter, and has since engaged the finance minister on the issue.

“We are intervening and we are still on the matter, we even invited and interacted with the Minister of Finance yesterday (Friday) and the interaction was to know why the money that was supposed to be released to the workers was not released. 

“That is to show the extent we are willing to go for the workers to get their dues.

“What we are appealing for now is for he workers to continue to be very understanding. The budget is to be presented by Wednesday, we all know the possible implication on the entirety of Nigerians, if the document is not presented on that day.

“Our appeal is that since we are still very much on the issue and engaging the critical stakeholders, the workers should reconsider their stand and let the engagement continue for a quick resolution”, Namdas said.

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