The National Assembly is considering major reforms that will create a distinct salary structure and improve job security for legislative aides attached to the 469 federal lawmakers in the Senate and House of Representatives.
Speaking during a three-day capacity-building training for aides in Abuja, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Barr. Kamoru Ogunlana, noted that the reforms aim to boost efficiency and enhance the overall performance of legislators.
Ogunlana explained that although legislative aides are political appointees, their current conditions of service mirror civil service templates, which do not reflect the peculiar demands of their roles.
“Unlike civil servants, legislative aides have no job security as their tenure is tied to their principals. Ranking is often not based on competence or qualifications,” he said.
He further emphasized the need for a comprehensive law to clearly define the duties of aides across different cadres, stressing that the absence of such provisions often subjects them to arbitrary decisions.
“We are proposing that the National Assembly Service Commission and the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission should design a distinct salary structure and conditions of service tailored to the unique nature of your work.
“There is also a need to review appointment criteria to attract competent personnel and put safeguards in place against arbitrary termination,” he added.
Also addressing participants, the Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), Mr. Saviour Enyiekere, encouraged aides to continuously upgrade their skills in order to make meaningful contributions to legislative processes.
The training, organized in partnership with Research Enterprise Systems (RES), brought together Chiefs of Staff to presiding officers, Special Advisers, Senior Legislative Aides, and other categories of aides.
