Sealing of Anambra Assembly complex is to maintain peace, says Clerk

Udoh told the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Awka, that the legislators failed to operate within the confines of the law guiding the civil service in the complex, to ensure safety of lives and property. He said that workers at the assembly complex required a peaceful and safe environment to enable them to perform optimally. “We have asked our workers to report to the office of Head of Service where schedule duties will be assigned to them. “Assembly workers will remain in the office of the Head of Service till total peace and safety is reassured,’’ Udoh said. NAN reports that the present leadership of Anambra State House of Assembly led by the new Speaker, Mr Ikem Uzoezie, said that the police illegally sealed the complex and urged the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to call his men to order. Uzoezie said that ordering civil servants working in the complex to report to the Head of Service office, was uncalled for, as there was no record of violent incident or its resemblance that demanded such attention. “It is only the National Assembly that is constitutionally empowered to issue such an order to seal an assembly complex in line with Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended. “Legislators held their normal meetings at the Assembly on November 15 with over 25 lawmakers in attendance, including the former Speaker Mrs Rita Maduagwu (who for obvious reasons refused to join us). He said that the lawmakers are being hindered from performing their legislative functions. (NAN)]]>