Strengthening key agencies of the National Assemby

By Adesoro Tolu Austen

 

This historic retreat is the beginning of restructuring journey and not just a destination for the health of the National Assembly.”

Architect Ojo Olatunde Amos Clerk to the National Assembly.

Recently, the leaders of the key agencies of the National Assembly were assembled in a retreat meant for ‘Members of the National Assembly Service Commission and Top Management of the National Assembly,’ in Abuja, where they brainstormed on how best to push the sustainable agenda of the National Assembly to greater heights.

It was a delight to see the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA), Architect Ojo Olatunde Amos, the Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), Ahmad Kadi Amshi, the Director General of the National Institute for Legislstive Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar O. Sulaiman, their aides, and the cream la cream of the National Assembly stakeholders locked up in a conference room for two days doing justice to a profitable agenda under the theme: ‘Issues, Challenges and Prospects in Legislstive Bureacracy.’

Interestingly, the two day historic retreat which was sub-themed as follows: ‘Appraising the Members of the National Assembly Service Commission and the National Assembly Management; Strengthening National Assembly Service Commission and National Assembly Relationship; Managing the Political Leadership of the National Assembly; Strategies for Effective Collaboration Between National Assembly Service Commission and the National Assembly,’ emphasised the neutrality of cordial, consultative and result-oriented relationship as basis for attaining the mandates of the National Assembly, and that of the National Assembly Service Commission.

The communique that came out after the exhaustive, bombarding intellectual excercise is very insightful and instructive, as it unraveled the heart of the matter relating to the sustainable development of the National Assembly in Nigeria.

Firstly, Ahmad Kadi Amshi, of the National Assembly Service Commission, Architect Ojo Olatunde Amos, the Clerk to the National Assembly, and Prof. Abubakar O. Sulaiman, of the National Institute for Legislstive and Democratic  Studies, collective agreed that there should be ‘greater synergy between the National Assembly Service Commission, National Assembly Management and the National Institute for Legislstive and Democratic Studies in providing services to the legislature.

Secondly, it was agreed that the ‘bureacracy of the National Assembly should continuously ensure managerial balance between politics and administration.

While the need for regular engagements of National Assembly Service Commission, National Assembly and the National Assembly leadership was raised, it was made clear that the ‘powers of the Clerk to the National Assembly, given in section 51 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended as the Chief Executive and Chief Accounting Officer of the National Assembly must not be undermined.’

According to the above-mentioned three signatories, to the historic communique of the retreat, ‘there is need for the development of modalities to better serve the legislature; and the management of the National Assembly ought to ‘continue to interface and dialogue with staff union within the National Assembly.’

Specifically, the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajamiabila were commended for effective service delivery within the National Assembly so far.

By agreeing to strengthen the working relationship of the key agencies of the National Assembly, the leaders identified the fact that ‘5 aides per a legislator is grossly inadequate for proper functioning of the Legistlators.’

In his address at the epochal retreat, the Executive Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission, Ahmad Kadi Amshi posited thus: ‘We find the Retreat very significant since it will provide an opportunity to foster greater understanding of the respective mandates of the National Assembly Service Commission, National Assembly Management and the National Institute for Legislstive and Democratic Studies, thus strengthening the working relationship of these key agencies of the National Assembly.”

Architect Ojo Olatunde Amos, the Clerk to the National Assembly, who advised participants and leaders of the key agencies of the National Assembly in his closing remarks that: ‘We must agree that the resolutions we have stoically made in this retreat should be used as a clarion call, which shall lead to the actualisation of our lofty objectives’, also had let out of his big bag of ideas, the need to introduce e-hansard into the affairs of the National Assembly.

According to Architect Ojo Olatunde Amos: “We will introduce e-hansard in the first quarter of 2021, to ease parliamentary briefing in the National Assembly. It is a process of verbating reportage of the proceedings in plenary sessions using technology to the fullest. Another name for this initiative is e-governance in action, which I know will be very convenient for Legislators and watchers of the National Assembly in Nigeria and elsewhere. You will agree with me that e-hansard is a most veritable tool in our e-parliament agenda.”

In agreeing proactively, pragmatically and strategically, to strengthen their working relationship,the leaders of these key National Assembly agencies, must be commended stridently for initiating and supporting this fanstatic retreat, coming less than five months after Architect Ojo Olatunde Amos, was elevated to the Clerkship of the National Assembly.

In all ramifications, this positive development will no doubt place, Architect Ojo Olatunde Amos, more in a vantage position to pursue the statutory mandate placed under his watch to logical conclusion.

Conclusively, this historic retreat will act  and serve as wonderful tonic for the sustainable development of the drivers of parliamentary cum representative democracy in Nigeria, for a long time to come.

• Adesoro is the Special Adviser on media and labour to the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA).