MOVE by the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA), Mohammed
Sani-Omolori and certain senior officials to extend their service
beyond the statutory 35 years may have hit the rocks, Sunday
Tribune can authoritatively reveal.
According to Sunday Tribune[1]
investigations revealed that banking on a controversial amendment,
‘Retirement age and Conditions of Service’ which was hurriedly
passed by the leadership of the Eighth Assembly on the eve of its
exit, the sitting clerk and other officers are smarting to extend
their tenure in office for another five years despite attaining the
legal age for retirement.
The amendment purportedly moved the maximum retirement age of
civil servants from 35 to 40 years.
Forces pushing for the exit of Sani-Omolori alleged that he has
attained the statutory age, having joined the National Assembly in
February 1991 as a Principal Legal Officer on Level 12 from the
defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) in 1989. Before
his stewardship with NEPA, the incumbent clerk of the National
Assembly who was born in June 1961 was a legal officer with the now
moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company until 1985.
Those opposed to his continued stay in office argued that the
embattled CNA ought to have proceeded on retirement leave since
last year as they noted that those who joined the civil service in
1985 had already retired.
They further argued that the “amended” rule sequel to hurried
passage of the ‘Retirement age and conditions of service’ has not
been assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“You were all part of the Eighth National Assembly and we are
sure you witnessed how this amendment was secretly effected
increasing the retirement age of National Assembly staff from 60 to
65 years and years of pensionable service from 35 to 40 years,
contrary to civil service rules.”
Further investigation revealed that irked by the development,
the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly has since
asked the chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission
(NASC), Ahmed Kadi Amshi, to investigate the allegations of a
forged amended Service Rule.
Sunday Tribune learnt that a meeting of the commissioners of the
NASC has been slated for after the Sallah period to take a position
on the amended rule.
“The commission may force the clerk and other senior staff of
the National Assembly due for retirement but desperate to negotiate
extension relying on the unpopular amendment to be forced out of
office,” said a source.
A senior staff of the NASS however dismissed the furore over
tenure extension as a storm in a tea cup.
He told Sunday Tribune that “the amendment of the service rule
is not a Bill and doesn’t need a presidential assent to be
effective.”
He further claimed that the rules applicable to civil servants
don’t apply to National Assembly staff.
“The Parliament is an independent arm of government, “ he
submitted.
MOVE by the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA), Mohammed
Sani-Omolori and certain senior officials to extend their service
beyond the statutory 35 years may have hit the rocks, Sunday
Tribune can authoritatively reveal.
According to Sunday Tribune[1]
investigations revealed that banking on a controversial amendment,
‘Retirement age and Conditions of Service’ which was hurriedly
passed by the leadership of the Eighth Assembly on the eve of its
exit, the sitting clerk and other officers are smarting to extend
their tenure in office for another five years despite attaining the
legal age for retirement.
The amendment purportedly moved the maximum retirement age of
civil servants from 35 to 40 years.
Forces pushing for the exit of Sani-Omolori alleged that he has
attained the statutory age, having joined the National Assembly in
February 1991 as a Principal Legal Officer on Level 12 from the
defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) in 1989. Before
his stewardship with NEPA, the incumbent clerk of the National
Assembly who was born in June 1961 was a legal officer with the now
moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company until 1985.
Those opposed to his continued stay in office argued that the
embattled CNA ought to have proceeded on retirement leave since
last year as they noted that those who joined the civil service in
1985 had already retired.
They further argued that the “amended” rule sequel to hurried
passage of the ‘Retirement age and conditions of service’ has not
been assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“You were all part of the Eighth National Assembly and we are
sure you witnessed how this amendment was secretly effected
increasing the retirement age of National Assembly staff from 60 to
65 years and years of pensionable service from 35 to 40 years,
contrary to civil service rules.”
Further investigation revealed that irked by the development,
the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly has since
asked the chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission
(NASC), Ahmed Kadi Amshi, to investigate the allegations of a
forged amended Service Rule.
Sunday Tribune learnt that a meeting of the commissioners of the
NASC has been slated for after the Sallah period to take a position
on the amended rule.
“The commission may force the clerk and other senior staff of
the National Assembly due for retirement but desperate to negotiate
extension relying on the unpopular amendment to be forced out of
office,” said a source.
A senior staff of the NASS however dismissed the furore over
tenure extension as a storm in a tea cup.
He told Sunday Tribune that “the amendment of the service rule
is not a Bill and doesn’t need a presidential assent to be
effective.”
He further claimed that the rules applicable to civil servants
don’t apply to National Assembly staff.
“The Parliament is an independent arm of government, “ he
submitted.