PASAN Declares Indefinite Strike Over Non-Implementation of CONLESS in Cross River Assembly
By Ekanem ASUQUO
The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), Cross River State House of Assembly Chapter, has declared an indefinite strike action beginning Monday, October 20, 2025, over the state government’s failure to implement the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS) for legislative workers.
In a bulletin dated October 17, 2025, and signed by the union’s Action Committee, PASAN directed all assembly staff to stay at home until further notice. The decision, the bulletin stated, followed several reminders and correspondences sent to the government in line with agreements reached with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and the Conference of Speakers.
According to PASAN, the state government had been repeatedly notified through letters dated June 16, June 26, July 31, and September 2, 2025, under references PASAN/NS/CROSS RIVER/36, PASAN/NS/ADM/CROSS RIVER/31, and PASAN/NS/CROSS RIVER/31, but failed to act. The union described the state’s inaction as a clear case of neglect, adding that Cross River remains the only state in the South South yet to implement CONLESS.
The strike resolution was ratified during the union’s general congress held on Friday, October 17, 2025, at the Assembly complex, in accordance with directives from the national leadership.
“All workers in the Cross River State House of Assembly are hereby directed to stay at home from 00:00 hours of Monday, 20th October, 2025, until further notice,” the statement read.
PASAN urged its members to remain resolute and await further instructions, reaffirming solidarity with the popular slogan, “Aluta continua! Victoria ascerta!”
The industrial action is expected to paralyze legislative operations in the state, including lawmaking, oversight, and administrative duties. PASAN emphasized that the strike became inevitable after exhausting all channels of dialogue and appealed to the government to take immediate steps toward resolving the impasse.
Efforts to obtain comments from government officials on the matter were unsuccessful as of press time.
