The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Tajudeen Abbas has praised the 5th National Assembly Service Commission for its excellent performance since inauguration in February, 2020.
The Speaker who expressed his joy over the performance of the Commission today during a courtesy call on him by the Commission, equally called for the creation of a Legislative Aides Directorate in the National Assembly to serve as a pool for recruitment of Legislative Aides by Lawmakers.
The Executive Chairman of the Commission, Engr Ahmed Kadi Amshi had led a delegation of the Commission to the Speaker to congratulate him on his election and to brief him on the activities of the Commission.
‘ It must be stated that the Commission under your chairmanship has done well in encouraging the existing cordial relationship between the commission and the National Assembly leadership.
Let me use this opportunity to call for further strengthening of this existing relationship to enable us collectively work together to achieve positive results”, he stated.
He highlighted his desire to help engender excellence and professionalism in the National Assembly for optimum productivity.
Towards this end, Hon Tajudeen called for creation of a Legislative Aides Directorate to form a pool from which the lawmakers would recruit professional and skilled aides that would assist them succeed in their legislative work.
He expatiates: ‘ In this regard, the Commission is expected to create a dedicated Directorate with qualified and competent personnel to drive this vision for the interest of the Legislature and consolidation of our legislative practice”.
Explaining further, the Speaker said,
“The 10th House of Representatives and indeed, National Assembly, is faced with the challenge of capacity development with the high turnover of the last election. This demands a bureaucracy that is well equipped to demonstrate competence and reliability by providing guidance to the new Members. You must, as a Commission, show more diligence in your appointment of staff, including the legislative Aides to Members to ensure that those you engage following the recommendations of Members are people with the requisite capacity to support their principals to succeed. There is no better way to build a legislative institution to meet the yearnings of the people”.
He enjoined the Commission to come up with well defined Succession Plans which would enhance smooth succession after retirement of officers.
Earlier, Engr Amshi told the Speaker that since inauguration in February 2020, the 5th NASC had promoted over 3000 officers to different positions, converted over 500 others to different cadres and handled five disciplinary cases.
Engr Amshi particularly singled out the building of the NASC Office Complex as the most outstanding achievement of the Commission under his leadership.
He added that the Commission had successfully carried out other routine responsibilities and called for more budgetary provision for the National Assembly to help the institution to carry out other functions effectively.
Emmanuel N.Anyigor
Deputy Director, Information.
(NASC).
