By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
Legislative Aides who served members of the 9th National Assembly have gone spiritual over the alleged withholding of their 15 months’ salaries by the management of the National Assembly.
They have, therefore, appealed to the Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Sani Mogaji Tambuwal, President Bola Tinubu, and the anti-graft agencies in the country to come to their aid.
This is contained in a statement issued by the conveners of the prayers, Mr Suleiman Abbas, and Joseph Isah, which was made available to journalists in Abuja yesterday.
The former aides explained that the workers who left office in June 2023, were enrolled into the service of the National Assembly in May 2021, after serving as Legislative Aides for two years, and we’re allegedly starved for 15 out of the 24 months of service.
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The statement read in part, “The affected staff numbering 280, 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 now the Chief of Staff to the President.
“We have made a series of efforts legitimately to drive home the demand for payments of these salary arrears but all the attempts made fell on deaf ears of the National Assembly Management.
“We asked all the affected staff to commence fasting and prayers since Friday where the prayer points will seek God’s intervention to touch the hearts of the Clerk of the National Assembly and President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio in approving the payments.
“Arising from the meeting of the affected Staff of the 9th NASS, whose 15 months’ salary has 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.
“All the affected staff were informed that Friday and Sunday, November 17 and 19, 2023 have 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.
“What we are hearing is that the funds might have been channelled to 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 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 former aides called on President Tinubu and the chairmen of the anticorruption bodies in the country, to come to their aid.
