 Welcome back to the breakfast here on Plus TV Africa. Our next conversation remains in the National Assembly where some staff who had been employed since 2018 have begun a protest asking that they, of course, be asked to resume work and their salaries be paid for the years that they, of course, have been employed. We are speaking this morning with Iyanulua Babatunde, who's joining us. Good morning and thanks for joining us. Good morning. Good morning and thanks for having me on this show this morning. All right, give us a brief history of where this is coming from since 2018. The story says that there has been, there was a recruitment process. You have, of course, filled all the possible forms to get yourself fully registered as a staff, but that doesn't seem to have been any actual work since then. Yes, actually, we got our employment letter in 2018 and we were asked to resume on the 1st of August, 2018, and, as expected, went for the process to documentation, do screening and all of that, which actually started. But all of a sudden, we're told to stay back a while, that they needed to, they needed to do some processes, do some finishing and all of that. And we'll be back on back on, and gradually we're waiting for weeks, months, and we're waiting for almost three years now. But within this period, a time came and we're agitating. Why do we have to wait? What's really happening? And thank God for the management of NATS, National Assembly Service Commission. They were, they are involved or they are to carry out recruitment for the National Assembly, and then they called us and did our documentation. That was last year in November, that was 2020. Now, before this break on us to come for our documentation, there was no commission initially. So when a new set of commissioners came and thanks to them, we are not, we really need to say thank you to those guys because they now did an investigation and said that these people are actually supposed to be in house already. And what's happening? So they called us for documentation, gave us our file numbers, do all they needed to do and asked us to go to the National Assembly. That's not to be documented there. And then that's where they will now do the internet posting. And then we can now start work and payment to start. And when we got to NATS, the management said we should go and come back. They are not ready yet. That was in November. We should come back in December, December 10th to January and January. And we are already in June. And the question is why are we still kept waiting? Out of the group of people that have been employed into the National Assembly, some have been absorbed in. They were two years in April. So they received their pay for two years plus. And those who were employed alongside with them are yet to be absorbed. Now you get 10 people jobs and you thought five people to come and resume and ask five to wait. On what criteria did you choose those who are supposed to resume? So those who resumed, is there anything that they did different? No, it's the same later. It's the same date. What I'm asking, is there anything that they did different that has made them get these jobs while you guys have been asked to wait still? Okay. You've only speaking to the best of my knowledge. It's nothing, I don't know anything they've done. Frankly speaking, I don't know what they have done that we have not done. Or who they have or who they know that we don't know or have. We're in Nigeria. All right, anything is happening. You said there were 10 people who received the employment letter. I gave an instance. Okay, so how many people were employed in 2018? Initially, over 500. Over 500 people employed. What did the employment letter say? I mean, was the recruitment role, the job role? We all were given, according to our qualifications, we're giving levels, you know, giving this level for these, all that. And then after 500 plus that was employed, they called in 200 plus. And when I remember, really, that when I heard that my friends were getting messages to come and do their documentation at the National Assembly, I called and I asked was that we should wait. We are in the second batch, batch B. And we'll be called upon. And a week turned to two weeks, two weeks turned to months. And we are counting years already. Those who were called initially, I've spent two years plus already receiving pay. What they did, like you asked earlier on, that has given them the edge over us is what I don't know. All right, Ian, I need to ask you, are you trying to say that, you know, since 2018, the other set, you know, yourself inclusive, have not actually been working with the National Assembly? 20, okay, those who were called, we're not even called immediately. There was a saga, there was, like, divine all around that. What's happening? That's why they called the process. The criteria they used in picking the process, we didn't know. So if it's finances, you claim there is no finances to finance all of us at a blow. You have finances to cater for 200 plus. What happened to the remaining 200 plus? What I'm asking you, Ianu, my question is, have you been working since you got that letter? I work. How do I work? I have a letter to work. We go to the National Assembly, we have access into the building, but you don't, you can't go into an office that has not been allocated to you. Okay, so I want us to get this clear because the protest here is about the fact that you received an employment letter, but you have not been cleared to resume work since 2018. Yes, yes, I mean those of us who have not resumed. There are some medical practitioners among us who have resumed, are working and are yet to be paid. Do you get that? Yes. So they are working, for two years now they've been working and no payments. And some of us have not even been allowed to work at all. So what have you- We don't have a patrol, we don't have an office there at all. So what have you been doing in the last, in the last, since 2018? We've gone to the last management, we've gone to the commission management and the commissioners, the present commissioners we have now, when they came in and we have biffed on what has been happening, they did their investigations. And as a result of that investigation was what led to our documentation at the commission in November. And they asked us to go resume at the assembly. But getting to the assembly, the assembly say, we can't come in yet. We can't come in because of this reason or that reason. So what's the reason? Initially it was finances to manage, to take us in, they gave. But our plight and pain is, in I believe in every room there is an idea of truth. Two years back there was retirement of over 150 senior staff from both the National Assembly and the National Assembly Service Commission. And the excuse they gave at that time why those people needed, why our buses they needed to go was so that they can accommodate the new set of workers that are coming in. Two years have gone down the lane, they've been retired and we are yet to be absorbed. My question is, why are we yet to be absorbed? Come to think of it, these people who have retired, few of them salary we cater for, what level are we coming in on for crying out loud? That's it. I just talked about this. Based on what are we talking about? What even the excuse that there is no money to absorb some people, but there is money to absorb the others. Based on what criteria have they chosen those who are supposed to be absorbed? I think that's where there is a challenge. The criteria through which they pick those who they picked and then that's somehow. Yes, it's a very big challenge because I mean those who were absorbed. Yeah, but if they say there's no money, I'm not sure how you can really fight that. If they say wait until there's funding to accommodate everybody, the challenge will be. No, that's what we're saying. If they're saying is the money to do the nature, then those who are in, where are they getting the money from? There are some people who have been in. Well, I get it. Some people have been in for over two years. They've taken what they're funding, but it's also a conversation that needs to be had from their end to understand better why they've taken those people. So I was asking what have you been doing since 2018 in a size this struggle? We've visited the management. No, no, I'm not talking with regards. I'm not talking with regards, trying to get into the national economy. Yes, how you earn a living, yes. I'm married, thank God. And thank God my husband has a good job. I'm not dependent on his income. I had to go learn something to do for myself. And thank God I have one or two hands worth I do. I cook, I do event management. I sew, I had to, I couldn't just wait for them. Now, I have the opportunity to go do other things. But I have colleagues of mine who are yet to be called. The protest we had yesterday, we had to gather TP, transportation for them. We told them, okay, we'll rally around and meet ourselves and give you transport to come and go. All fingers are not equal. I have the opportunity, does not mean everybody has the opportunity. So I mean those of us who have these jobs and are yet to be called. In the process of come for your documentation, come for this, we've lost two persons. Homes have been broken. The economy is not smiling on anybody. And if you have a spouse, you know that you need resources, no matter how little, you need to manage yourselves. And when you don't have this, you tend to throw tantrums and everybody has a way of reacting to what's one action or the other. Homes have been broken. All right, Ian, what would you like the National Assembly to do as a result of the protest and speaking to the press? Yesterday we said, we want that, I told some of the management, I said, if National Assembly want to call us within this week, today is Wednesday, yesterday was Tuesday, if they want to call us this week to do our documentation, it is doable. See, where there is a will. You have, I decide I want to do this thing. I will work towards it. It's in their power to tell us come in, let's sit on the table, let's come to an agreement, let's come to a compromise. We've suffered this for two years. They should be considering. There's nothing wrong in them calling us and saying, this is what we want to do. And we'll tell them, this is how we want it. We'll come to an equilibrium and come to an agreement. I am still saying it, there's nothing wrong. If they allow us into the office this June, I am still saying it, we have to get into the office this June. The management of the NAS know they can absorb us. If they want to, if they tell them, they should look at us as their siblings, as their kids, as their spouse. Some of these management staff have spouses, I mean spouse, some have resumed and some are yet to resume. But what criteria? What about? Since we don't have it. Yeah, let me, I'm just asking them, maybe play devil's advocate here. Is there a possibility that the employment spaces in the National Assembly have been filled up by the ones who have been employed? I'm sorry, it's not possible because I'm not saying this week, I have worked, it will shock you to know, I served with the National Assembly Service Commission about seven, eight years back. And for every office, you have a number of people. Before this set, the set we ask to, people retire every day, you don't employ every day. You need people to manage certain things in an office. The National Assembly is not one small cubicle. What could you do the National Assembly for one building to the other? It's not, it's not an easy thing. It's a large, they can accommodate us. That's, I don't, I don't see any excuse. Now, if they have an excuse, they should call us. And the time of us even listening to those excuses have elapsed for three years. You've been patient. Okay, they will call us. These are the people we will work with. They will be our bosses. Let's find a way to come to an agreement. And all this while we have waited till now. Please, how long do they want us to wait? All right. How long? If I had a child at that time, the child would be three by now. Yes. If I told the child to give me an answer. When is the next meeting you have, or when is the next time you are meant to be at the National Assembly? We, we, thanks, they have access to friendly representatives. I mean, to us, to them. They are really working hard. We are not disputing that fact. The commissioners are doing their best. We are not disputing that fact. But we want results. We want to get into office. It's not even one if you start receiving our pay too. Yeah, but there's a, I think it's a seven day deadline. Automatum, yes. That's supposed to be a lapse on Wednesday, next week, a week from today. Okay, so what happens after that? After the work, let's get there and then we'll cross the bridge. Let's get there and then for now, let's give them to them. Then if nothing happens, then we can now know or we can now do what we think we can do. We just need, because all I'm saying is if you have absorbed some people, then the others have the right to be absorbed. All right. If not, put all of us on a plain ground. We either all go in or we all find our way out. So yes, indeed, your colleagues that are already in the National Assembly, legislative aides, you know, disrupted a seat in, has skin for payment of their salaries. This was in April and we know that Femigua Jabyamela asked for patients. You know, it's been about two months now. So we'll try to get their own side of the story and see where the most communication is coming from. But we do hope that everything turns out well. Thank you very much, Ian, for your time. Thank you for having me. We really appreciate this. All right. So we're now going to Kaduna for our next conversation regarding that NLC protest a few weeks ago and how it affects lecturers in the state.