President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio has kicked against habitual practice of top bureaucrats in the National Assembly to remain in office after expiration of their years of service.
This is as he called on the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) to rise up to powers conferred on it by extant act, in ridding out such bureaucrats from service without any further delay .
Akpabio stated these when he had in audience, outgoing Chairman and members of the National Assembly Service Commission in his office .
“Mr Chairman and members of the National Assembly Service Commission , your visit to me today, for formal notification of end of your tenure is one of mixed feelings .
“Mixed feelings in the sense that it is sad to miss a very experience hand like you but at the same time, happy that you ended well after five years in office .
“However since you are handing over to the Secretary of the Commission, pending the time myself and the Speaker of the House of Representatives will make recommendations for new Chairman and members, lapses observed within the last few years must be made.
“One of such lapses ,is the reluctance on some Clerks either to the National Assembly, the Senate or House of Representatives to exit office at expiration of their years of service and even lethargy on the part of the commission to ensure enforcement at the appropriate time against such elongated service – seeking bureaucrats .
“Toleration of such behavior or acts from the sit – tight bureaucrats by NASC , brought unnecessary politics into the system with attendant factionalization of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) and threats by some people to take the leadership of the National Assembly to ‘Berekete Radio’ otherwise called Human Rights Radio , forgetting that Nigeria has not established human rights radio .
“Politicization of tenure or years of service of staff of the National Assembly are due to actions and inactions of NASC which must be stopped by sticking to provisions of letters of appointments issued .
“Refusal to proceed on terminal leave by some clerks , Secretaries or Directors , are clear cases of years of service elongation , which must be enforced by NASC .
“In the light of this, amendment will be made to the establishment Act of NASC so that its Secretary will work hand in hand with leadership of the National Assembly for more disciplined and service delivery system “, he said .
Earlier, the outgoing Chairman of NASC, Ahmed Kadi Amshi told Senate President that he and five out of the six National Commissioners of the commission, would be ending their service on the 7th of February, 2025, having assumed office on February 7, 2020 .
He said the commissioner representing South East in the commission would ll remain in office till 14th October 2026, since he was appointed on the 15th October 2021.
Confidence Okwuchi
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