Except there is a rapprochement between the State government and Staff of the Imo State House of Assembly, members of the state legislature may be forced not to enter their offices and hold plenary sessions in the chamber.
Assembly complex was thrown into a turmoil last week when attempts to pay the workers half of their monthly take home was rejected. The refusal almost degenerated to riotous stage when the aggrieved staff not only attempted to stop the Speaker’s convoy from gaining entrance but also besieged the Speaker, Acho Ihim on his way in.
Trumpeta learnt that the Assembly workers who on Tuesday almost lynched a government-appointed accountant to come and issue cheque has threatened to engage in another round of battle with government authorities if they were not paid between today and Monday. Part of their latest planned stand off with the state government is prevention of honourable members from gaining access into the complex for legislative business.
Though, no official statement from the umbrella body, Parliamentary Association of Nigeria, PASSAN, has been issued concerning the planned showdown but some workers who spoke on condition of anonymity warned that the lawmakers may be locked out of their offices if their complete pays refuse to reach their purse before Tuesday when the members are expected to resume from two weeks break.
The workers who volunteered to speak with our correspondent opined that they are not willing to work with an empty stomach warning that no office will be opened if they remain in their houses.
“We shall not work without food. If we don’t come to work, offices of lawmakers will be locked for the day. They should pay us to avoid our plan of locking offices”, a female staffs who does not want her name published said.
Attempts were made to reach PASSAN leadership but none was willing to speak on the matter. They only chorused that they are waiting for government compliance to their demands that full monthly pay packets be paid to them.
