…institution heading towards a crucible
…first time civil servants are unceremoniously sent packing
The whole of last week, the management of Nigeria’s apex legislative body was a battlefield as the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) fired 150 top officers of the assembly.
Never in the history of NASS that top civil servants are unceremoniously sent out of service without the usual terminal notice.
Mohammed Ataba Sani-Omolori a Kogi prince emerged in 2016 as the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA) after serving meritoriously as the Clerk of the House of Representatives.
He was indeed a super civil servant with so many years experience in global legislative business. But he got into a political web when the idea of tenure elongation came to fore in the 8th NASS.
The condition of service was restructured to allegedly attract 40 years in service or 65 years age attainment before exit from service whichever comes first.
But controversy had surrounded the terminal date of disengagement as some staff had stayed beyond the mandatory period particularly at the top echelon of NASS.
But with this fresh directive, the Clerk of NASS, Sani Omolori and senior officers of the apex legislative assembly were unceremoniously shoved aside.
In a press release issued by the commission on Wednesday entitled’NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SERVICE COMMISSION APPROVES THE RETIREMENT AGE FOR THE STAFF OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SERVICE AS 35 YEARS OF SERVICE OR 60 YEARS OF AGE WHICH EVER COMES FIRST’ the issue of terminal date has been adequately addressed.
In the release signed by the Executive Chairman, Engr Ahmed Amshi said”Pursuant to its mandate as provided in the National Assembly Service Act 2014 (as amended), the National Assembly Service Commission at its 497th meeting held on Wednesday 15th July 2020 has approved the retirement age of the staff of the National Assembly Service as 35 years of service or 60 years of age whichever comes first.
To this effect the Commission has approved the immediate retirement of staff of the National Assembly Service who have already attained the retirement age of 35 years of service or 60 years of age,
Retirement letters would be issued to the affected staff accordingly.
Apparently sensing there was a conspiracy somewhere along the line Sani-Omolori as CNA issued a counter directive same day declaring that the release should be ignored.
He was susequently queried on Thursday and finally he was replaced by an acting CNA on Friday night of last week.
The Crux of the matter now is how will 150 top officers in one swoop leave such a sensitive institution, won’t it lead to administrative hiccups?
Or didn’t it occur to NASC that such an administrative shake up could lead to administrative gaps capable of turning NASS management into chaos.
Yes a new look for NASS management is a welcome development but here is an institution that has been politically polarised since inception.
Can NASC manage the hang over effect of this mass retirements of seasoned administrators within a short period particularly when those that occupy the complex are tenured politicians?
These are few posers for NASC to take a proper look at before allowing one of the oldest Democratic institutions to head into a crucible.
