The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN),Tuesday shuts state assemblies over the non-implementation of financial autonomy for state legislature nationwide.

Protesting at the complex,the  Yobe chapter of the union explained that its action to the directives from their National Executives to embark on an indefinite strike action in response to the federal government non implementation of the financial autonomy act of 2018 and presidential order 10, 2020.

The Chairman of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), Yobe State Chapter, Comrade Zanna Ali said : “Why we took this action is that we want the federal government to implement the financial autonomy, we joined the strike because it is a nationwide strike, we want our demands met, the financial autonomy is constitutional, this is all what we want, it’s almost two years now the President assented the bill and we are yet to see anything. There is no going to be sitting today because we locked the legislative entrance, there’s no sitting today”.

He added that having exhausted all attempts aimed at asking for the implementation of the financial autonomy by the federal government after 21 days, 14 days and 7 days ultimatum. “At this juncture the Union has no other option than to direct our members to embark on an indefinite strike”.

” The union has been magnanimous by allowing ample time so that the federal government through Mr. President’s implementation committee on financial autonomy”.

Besides, Lagos State House of Assembly chapter of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) hmjoined the nationwide indefinite strike embarked upon by the Association over the non-implementation of financial autonomy for state legislature.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by Comrade Adele Adewale Taofiq, Lagos PASAN Chairman, Lagos PASAN explained that in May 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari signed an executive order granting financial autonomy to the legislature across the 36 states of the country, noting that the executive order was yet to be implemented by the governors.

While urging members of PASAN to be peaceful from the beginning to the end of the strike and wear their legislative uniform (PASAN Cap) to office on Tuesday in order not to give room for hoodlums to hijack the strike, Adele said, “A Strike Action Committee would be set up to monitor compliance, as it has been directed by the National Headquarters of PASAN.

“You could recall that the bedrock of Parliamentary Autonomy hinges on financial Independence. Autonomy in this context is simply defined as non-dependence and non-subordination of Parliaments in relation to the Executive.

“This non-dependence and non-subordination as stated above is in terms of unfettered control over financial and other related resources.

“Therefore, according to the best practice the ‘Parliaments should have equitable access to resources’. As such, Parliaments by Constitutional arrangements are supposed to have enough financial muscle to carry out their legislative mandate, including exercising power over the budget.

“This is consistent with the Latimer principles that state that ‘parliament should have control of and authority to determine and secure their budgetary requirements unconstrained by the Executive, save for budgetary constraints dictated by national circumstances’.

“In fact, this suggests that parliaments should assert their role as a separate arm of government, this includes the fact that they should be independent from the Executive in the way they organise themselves, control over their own timetable and the ability to recall themselves outside normal session if by circumstances so as required.”

Adele noted that the principle of autonomy in practice involved a number of different aspects, including: parliamentary responsibility for its own staffing; and control over its own budget.

This, he said, also included organisation of its own business with all these essential features so that they will be able to operate efficiently and exercise effective oversight over a range of policy issues affecting people.

“On this note, it’s very obvious that the struggle we set out and agreed to fight in order to liberate the legislative arm of government, and Nigeria democracy is finally upon us.  Notifications have been given in line with the provisions of the Trade Disputes Act of the Federation, yet no response from the government,” he added.

The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has urged member countries to put together, a better transparency package to access 13 trillion dollars of investment that was ready to boost economies.

The agency, however,emphasized the need for the continent  to  put together a robust  transparency initiative  on the illicit financial flows.

Mrs Vera Songwe, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary, ECA, said this at the opening of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, in Addis Ababa.

The hybrid conference has as its theme:  “Africa’s Sustainable Industrialisation and Diversification in the Digital Era in the Context of COVID-19”.

She said that African economies needed to recover fast, adding that the commission and others in the private sector, had created a scheme by which the countries could access funds.

“I want to talk about the African bank which has been able to provide eight billion dollars to 470 banks in the last year to respond to the crisis.ECA and many others in the private sector have worked together to come up with a scheme to allow us create a liquidity and sustainability facility, by getting money from the private sector, particularly for markets, where we have 13 trillion dollars of investment that is ready.

“It will not come if Africa does not  put together a better transparency package, better transparency on the illicit financial flows, and we need the financial community to work with you.”

She advocated the need  for additional “injections of liquidity” and investments into the African economy to get children back to schools, ensure reduction in poverty, job creation and economic growth.

“A lot of African countries are now using more of the Internet. Schools have access, but we know as studies in the African Development Bank and others have shown that Africa can invest in technology and our youths can use technology to the betterment of jobs and poverty reduction.

“And so we are asking again that some of those special drawing rights that go to the developed countries be on lend to the developing countries, emerging markets in Africa in particular, so that we can respond.”

She noted that Africa had done better in terms of its health response to COVID-19 compared to the developed countries.

“The data is sketchy and we are still going to get a few more of the data back. It has shown that Africa has not suffered and we have seen four million cases, 107,000 deaths and about 3.5 million recoveries. That is much better than most have seen.”

She, however, said Africa needed to recover green,  noting that “we create actually more jobs if we build back green”.

Songwe also called on member countries to create value out of their resources and financial systems.

“We need  the continent to also create value out of productivity. We need to make our factories work and services work better for our economies.

“This means that we need to do better in public financial management and the crowd in the private sector to work with us as we build an Africa that we want,” she said.

The Federal Government has said that Nigerian Scientists have produced at least two  local COVID-19 vaccines.

The  vaccines are currently  awaiting clinical trials and certification before it will become useful in the fight against Covid-19,according to Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19, Boss Mustapha

Mustapha,who spoke in Abuja said the feat was a significant milestone and that the research was a welcome development that will open a new vista in scientific breakthrough and will boost the morale and image of the medical industry in the country.

He implored relevant agencies to provide the required support and enabling environment for smooth conduct of the remaining protocols for the certification of these vaccines with a view to encouraging and motivating other researchers.

He recalled that  a year ago,total lockdown was declared by the government in some parts of the country due to Coronavirus pandemic that hit us but the socio-economic impact on us cannot be underestimated.

“Many people lost their livelihood and many people lost loved ones. May their souls find rest with their maker.

“Yesterday again, Nigeria recorded the lowest number of cases so far this year. We have also seen a decline in cases in the high burden countries around the African region. This does not call for us to lower our guards as the virus is still potent and virulent.   This is the right time to adhere to the full compliance of the NPIs and be vaccinated.

“Although, situations around the world now show some increase in cases, especially in the Americas, Europe and East Mediterranean regions, which suggests that they could be a third wave, further affirms that non-compliance with COVID-19 regulations and growing evidence of vaccine hesitancy could endanger millions of lives”.

He gave an impression that the PTF was having difficulty sensitizing Nigerians on the efficacy of the vaccines being deployed, adding that last Friday, there was a sensitization meeting of the Muslim scholars and Imams on COVID-19 vaccination rollout organised by the NPHCDA in collaboration with the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) where they urged the leadership of the Muslim Ummah to mobilize and educate their adherents to take the vaccines, because it is safe and efficacious.

According to the SGF,  so far in as much as our record shows that over 7million persons have been vaccinated in Africa. A platform will be created in the course of the week to show Nigerians every information relating to the management of vaccines and of course, the pandemic.