NGO Wants NASS Service Commission To Wake Up, Urgently Address Anomalies In Federal Legislature

 

The National Assembly Service Commission has been charged to wake up to its responsibilities by addressing the age long anomalies and discrepancies in the bureaucratic setup of the federal legislature.

The commission should also flush out the bad eggs in the commission especially as it involves falsification and forgery of official records without further delay.

The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Justice and Equity+CCSO-JE, in a statement in Abuja, on Wednesday said the developments in the National Assembly managed by the NASS Service Commission needs to be addressed.

It also demands fairness, equity and justice in the administration of the machinery of the National Assembly, such that, all issues resulting in misgivings currently experienced will be addressed.

CCSO-JE wondered why the commission has continued to delay compliance to the order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which culminated in the retirement of the Clerk of the Senate, with accompanied international embarrassment to the Nation in 2021, if not for the involvement of the PUNCH Newspaper and birthed series of petitions and publications.

The statement reads in part:
“What is happening in the National Assembly under the current Chairman and Commissioners of the National Assembly Service Commission is becoming embarrassing and internationally ridiculous, as falsification and forgery of official records; elevation of juniors over and above their seniors; gross violation of the extant Public Service Rules and Condition of Service in the National Assembly; violation of section 14 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 as amended; marginalization of the North Central Zone and some States in the appointment of Clerks and Secretaries as well as court case/petitions, became the order of the day in the 9th National Assembly.

“How do we explain a Clerk to the Senate that was due for retirement since 6th October, 2021 but falsified his official records along with some of his colleagues was just being served with letter of retirement without any punitive measure?

“If the retired Clerk Senate, El-Ladan Ibrahim Dauda, was given extra 5 months by the NASC, the same should apply to all other staff in the National Assembly based on the set precedent. Available information revealed that the retired Clerk Senate, El-Ladan Ibrahim Dauda, made caricature of his employer, the Chairman, by not collecting/signing for his retirement letter. What a shame!

“How would NASC explains the violation of its own written Rules, the Condition of Service in the National Assembly Service, that Staff charged before a competent court of jurisdiction, the Federal High Court no 5, Abuja, were not suspended even after a prime facie case was established since 2021?

“How would the NASC explains the Ag. Clerk Senate, Iloubah Ugochi Isabella (Umunakwe), without a formal letter whose public service career dated back to 8th March,1987 as reflected in the 1993 National Assembly Staff nominal list popularly known as Dr Adamu Fika nominal list? What is Ochigbo Abel Daniel still doing in NASS when his date of birth is 6th February,1962 as contained in the 2010 National Assembly Staff nominal list (Oluyemi Ogunyomi nominal list)?

“As a matter of fact, the National Assembly Staff nominal lists of 1993; 2000; 2010; and 2018 along with the Kalamazoo official Ledger of the National Assembly are enough guide for the Chairman and the Commissioners of the National Assembly Service Commission to confirm the actual date of birth and date of first appointment of each staff in the Service of the National Assembly for sanity to prevail, if the NASC are SINCERE with themselves and JUST with all staff in the Service of the National Assembly.

“Why did the NASC concealed the list of about 68 Staff that falsified their official records as published by the Punch Newspaper in 2021? To what extent can Nigerians TRUST the Chairman and the Commissioners of the National Assembly Service Commission in the discharge of their statutory responsibilities as contained in the National Assembly Service Commission Act, 2014 as amended?

“Is the Punch Newspaper not vindicated now as evidenced in the law suit filed by an NGO, Crime Free, at the Federal High Court no 5 in Abuja in 2021 which triggered the series of petitions and publications that eventually culminated in the removal of the retired Clerk of Senate with the accompanied international embarrassment on the Nation.

“More importantly, the Chairman and the Commissioners in NASC should realize by now that not all Legislative Staff are qualified to be a Legislative Chamber Staff because Chamber’s work is a different ball game entirely but all legislative staff can Clerk any Committees. From grapevine, our investigation revealed that 95% of staff of NASS who converted into legislative cadre never worked as Clerk at Table. So these set of Legislative Directors without adequate Chamber’s experience can not successfully Clerk the Chamber. For avoidance of doubt, the Chairman and the Commissioners should confirm and consult with the Chairman and Secretary of the Association of retired Clerks in the National Assembly of the Legislative Directors that works in the Chambers while they were in Office.

“Our subsequent journalistic investigation will unravel how people employed in 1993 became Directors the same time with their seniors who never failed any promotion Examinations.

“Finally, the National Assembly Service Commission are therefore imployed to live above board and justify their respective OATH of OFFICE, as Nigerians and the international community are closely watching and monitoring the gradual collapse of democracy with the unprofessional conduct of the activities of the legislative bureaucracy by the National Assembly Service Commission under the leadership of the Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan PhD and Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker, House of Representatives in the 9th National Assembly,” the CCSO-JE noted.