Opinion.
The National Assembly Service Commission NASC is the administrative arm of the National Assembly charged with appointments, promotions, rewards, and to discipline erring staffs of both at the commission and the Assembly in accordance with it’s mandates.
Under the leadership of an astute technocrat, Ahmed Kadi Amshi FNSE along with his commissioners , the commission had instilled a lasting legacies geared towards carrying out it’s statutory functions and the mandate in line with the provision of it’s act.
Having passed the act through the last constitutional review in the 9th Senate after over two decades of it’s existence, the desire to inculcate into the policy framework of the commission became needful, considering the position of the leadership to play the game according to the rules.
Matching words with action, Amshi and his commissioners from the six geopolitical zones built a new commission laced with transparency and accountability both in the procurement process and code of conduct, with a view to producing the expected results.
With the new dawn, he set the ball rolling by prioritizing leadership succession and appointments in line with the civil service rules, as the commission and National Assembly had witnessed smooth and successive transition in leadership against the previous order , which had led to the change of guard that witnessed two successive Clerk to the National Assembly CNA, which included Sani Omolori, Arc Amos Olatunde Ojo and now Sani Magaji Tambuwal trickled down to other categories of staffs along with promotions and retirements.
The commission made a significant reforms in the area of capacity building of staffs, both locally and internationally, through the development of training manual for staffs, so as to contribute their quota to the advancement of the legislative arm of government at the federal level.
The decisions was also extended to the legislative aides to the federal lawmakers to acquaint them of the current trend in their operations.
The current management was alive to it’s responsibility through given adequate attention to the welfare packages of the two arms, and by extension the legislative aides , a situation that led to the clearing of all allowances owed members of staff with legislative aides getting attention even after the expiration of their tenure.
The commission was able to resolve the impasse of employment lacuna that was made during the 8th Senate, deploying it’s administrative wisdom to absorb all impending issues relating to engagements by the National Assembly.
Aside instilling transparency and accountability, as well as fiscal discipline, the ongoing harvest of projects/ development in the both arm, but all at the National Assembly had not been witnessed before now.
Simultaneously, the multi billion National Assembly Service Commission NASC complex, National Assembly Library and ongoing renovation of the National Assembly complex was a rare development, that had not coincided since the inception of the current democratic dispensation in 1999.
For almost two and half decades, the physical development of the National Assembly complex which had led to influx of different artisans, visitors among many others was evidenced in the quest of the current commission to create an enabling environment, both for the commission in the area of office accommodation, easy access to research and development, as well conducive environment for federal lawmakers in the area of carrying out their functions in all ramifications.
The three various and highly relevant projects embarked upon at this critical time, was in response to the demands to create a technological driven environment, in line with the current order after the global pandemic of COVID.
Providentially, the three significant and crucial projects ongoing at the National Assembly complex when completed and commissioned, will improve the dignity of the environment, and improved service delivery from the two angles of administration, and lawmaking by the federal lawmakers, of both the green and red chambers devoid of any hinderances.
With sustained efforts by the leadership, no doubt, the glory of the Commission and the Assembly will be rejigged with a view to performing it’s statutory mandates.
The success story is already evidence on the promise by the contractors for a timely completion of the projects.
With all the needed equipment in place, the staffs will be better positioned to carry out their expected functions with modest improvement.
Yusuf , Is A Public Affairs Analyst, Writes from Abuja on email address yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.
