The Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has promised to constitute Anambra State House of Assembly Service Commission, which is one of the structures required for an independent legislature in Anambra State. This assurance from the governor was given during a conversation with members of the Anambra State chapter of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria – PASAN, through the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Somto Udeze. The governor’s promise was also reinforced by the decision of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum – NGF, in agreement with the Conference of Speakers – CoS. Even more, governor Soludo reiterated his commitment to set up Anambra State House of Assembly Service Commission, during his budget presentation to the House of Assembly on Tuesday.
The PASAN, an association of all staff of State legislature in Nigeria, has been on industrial action nationwide, especially in states where the governors have not implemented legislative autonomy. The strike action which has lasted for over two weeks, was called off on Monday evening, by the National President of the Association, Comrade Mohammed Usman, in a letter dated November 20, 2023, entitled “suspension of strike action.” According to Usman, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum has discussed with the Conference of Speakers and reached a satisfactory agreement. “From the letter from Conference of Speakers, which conveys the minds of both NGF and CoS, all our demands are being attended to”, part of the letter reads. The letter also revealed that there is a timeline for setting up requisite structures for a functional independent state legislature. “Note also the timelines included in the letter, which seeks to have all State Legislatures to have a functional Assembly Service Commission, a working Assembly Fund Management Law on or before the 22nd of December, 2023,” the letter said.
In Anambra State, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Somto Udeze has been interfacing with the governor, Prof. Soludo. Through their engagement, both the Speaker and the Governor agreed on improved conditions of service for Anambra State House of Assembly staff. The staff of Anambra State House of Assembly therefore expects to have better working conditions and remuneration starting with the 2024 appropriation bill submitted to the Assembly by the governor, on Tuesday.
He is a Technical Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano’s Special Adviser on Legislative Matters, whoonce was a Special Adviser to a former Deputy Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly. Ebuka is a second class upper division graduate of Political Science from University of Calabar, Calabar Nigeria and holds a Masters Degree in Political Science with specialization in Government and Development Studies, from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nigeria
