Lawan, Gbajabiamila intervene in ex-lawmakers’ aides’ severance pay delay

 

By Sanni Onogu, Abuja

 

National Assembly’s leadership yesterday intervened in the delay for the payment of severance package for former legislative aides who served in the Eighth National Assembly between 2015 and 2019.

There had been agitations from the aides, following delay in the payment of their severance allowances since they completed their assignment last June.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan and House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila met agencies of government, led by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed.

Lawan said the ex-aides were entitled to severance allowances.

The meeting, which was held behind closed-doors, according to a statement by the Special Assistant (Press) to the Senate President, Ezrel Tabiowo, was attended by principal officers of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Also present was the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Ben Akabueze.

Lawan said: “The tenure of legislative aides employed by the National Assembly Commission and posted to members of the National Assembly is tied to the tenure of the National Assembly. Therefore, they are entitled to severance allowance.”

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The Senate President noted that prior to yesterday’s intervention by both chambers, the Senate leadership, last week, had a meeting with the management of the National Assembly and the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), led by the Chairman of the commission, Elias Mbam.

He stressed that following the meeting with RMAFC, the National Assembly leadership identified some difficulties on who was supposed to pay the severance allowances to the former aides.

Lawan said: “It is only fair that we give them what is due to them (aides).

“We realised that there was need to bring on board for this discussion the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning and the National Assembly Service Commission as well, so that in this meeting, we are able to discuss and finalise where the source of the severance allowance for the legislative aides will be.

“And the presence of both chambers here tells us that this is a matter that affects the entire National Assembly.

“All the aides of the Senators and House of representatives who completed their assignment are affected on both sides. That is why the principal officers of both chambers are here.”

Principal officers in the Senate at the meeting included Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege; Deputy Leader Ajayi Boroffice; Minority Leader Enyinnaya Abaribe; Deputy Minority Leader Emmanuel Bwacha; Deputy Chief Whip Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi and Chairman of Senate Committee on Finance, Olamilekan Adeola.