The House of Representatives is set to uphold the Revised Condition of Service approved by the 8th assembly.
If the decision is upheld, it may give the National Assembly Clerk, Mohammed Sani Omolori and 150 others a five years tenure extension. This has become a subject of intense debate and rivalry within and outside the National Assembly.
Other National Assembly staff are also to have their condition of service improved.
A letter sent by the Clerk to the House of Representatives, Patrick Giwa, to the Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), Ahmed Amshi contained that, the National Assembly leadership lacks power to rescind the decision taken by the 8th Assembly.
The letter dated, 4th June 2020 with Reference Number NASS/HR/LEG/14/3/30 was titled, “Re: Forwarding of Memorandum on the Review of Conditions of Service for the National Assembly Service”.
It reads: “I write to convey to you that the leadership of the House has received and deliberated on the above subject as contained in your letter dated 01 June, 2020, via NASC/CHO/IPS/II/Il/94 and resolved as follows:
“The entire leadership of the House of Representatives cannot rescind the 8th Assembly resolution on the retirement age of National Assembly staff and, therefore, the House of Representatives maintains the position of the 8th Assembly as contained in the Condition of Service as jointly passed by that Assembly”.
It could be recalled that, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila had denied knowlegde of a letter dated June 3, 2020, with Reference Number NASS/SPK/ADM/VOL.1/520 purportedly written to the National Assembly Service Commission by his Chief of Staff, Sanusi Abubakar Rikiji.
In a statement, the Speaker’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi stated that, “The attention of the Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has been drawn to a letter purportedly emanating from his office allegedly stating his endorsement of the new Condition of Service for National Assembly staff passed by the 8th Assembly”.
When contacted to comment on the Patrick Giwa’s letter to the Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission, the House Spokesperson, Benjamin Kalu did not respond to the message sent to him.
The Speaker’s Media Aide, Lanre Lasisi did not also respond to a WhatssApp message sent to him regarding Giwa’s letter to the Chairman, NASC.
