The 10th National Assembly has passed more than 3,500 bills in its first three years, the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Kamoru Ogunlana, has disclosed.
Ogunlana made the disclosure in Abuja while speaking at the final phase of a capacity-building training programme for legislative aides in the 10th National Assembly.
He said; “the Senate passed about 1,500 bills, while the House of Representatives passed approximately 2,000 bills within the period.”
Ogunlana also disclosed that the National Assembly accommodates more than 14,000 personnel daily, excluding the 469 federal lawmakers and the large number of visitors to the complex.
According to him, “the workforce comprises career civil servants and legislative aides, making the Nigerian Parliament one of the busiest parliamentary institutions in the world.”
“No parliament in the world is as busy as the National Assembly, which has over 14,000 personnel aside from the federal legislators and their visitors, making the job of its Clerk one of the most demanding in terms of administrative coordination,” he said.
Ogunlana renewed his call for the introduction of a special salary scale and improved conditions of service for legislative aides, describing them “as critical components of the legislative process.”
He urged the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) and the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to address the remuneration and welfare of legislative aides.
“There is a need to streamline the responsibility of the NASC and RMAFC in determining the salaries and conditions of service of legislative aides,” he said.
Ogunlana explained that while the NASC is responsible for the appointment and administration of legislative aides, their remuneration operates within a framework developed or approved in conjunction with RMAFC and subject to approval by the National Assembly.
He noted that although the appointment of legislative aides was established as temporary and non-pensionable, questions remained over whether the engagements should be regarded as full-time or part-time.
Ogunlana said reforms should focus not only on improving the welfare of legislative aides but also on strengthening their capacity to effectively support lawmakers in carrying out their legislative responsibilities.
“Whatever reform we undertake, the goal should remain the development of a professional legislative support service that attracts and retains the best and brightest minds, as well as individuals of exemplary character and moral probity,” he added.
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