By Fatima Saka
The Clerk to the National Assembly, has called for an end to appointments and promotions influenced by considerations outside established service rules, warning that such practices could undermine competence, institutional stability and professionalism in the National Assembly Service.
Mr. Kamorudeen (Kamoru) Ogunlana made the call while addressing participants at a three-day retreat of the National Assembly top management and the National Assembly Service Commission on Friday in Abuja.
He said the retreat provided an opportunity for the Commission and Management to examine the administration of the National Assembly Service and identify measures to improve efficiency, accountability, transparency and professionalism.
According to him, appointments, promotions and staff development should be based primarily on merit, competence, experience, performance and the requirements of the Service, in line with the National Assembly Service Act 2014 and the applicable Scheme of Service.
He warned that allowing considerations such as geographical origin to override seniority, relevant experience and competence could result in judicial challenges, administrative embarrassment and institutional instability.
The Clerk said the consequences could extend beyond individual officers to affect the entire National Assembly Service, stressing the need for transparent and defensible criteria for career progression.
He also raised concerns over inconsistencies in staff records, including conflicting nominal rolls, duplications and questionable staff profiles, calling for a single authoritative and continuously updated database.
He said the database should contain verifiable information on every staff member, including identity, cadre, grade level, qualifications, appointment and promotion history, postings and training records.
Describing accurate staff records as a matter of institutional integrity rather than mere administration, he said reliable personnel information was essential for effective human resource management.
The Clerk further called for stronger collaboration between the National Assembly Service Commission and National Assembly Management, warning against the creation of institutional silos that could undermine the effective administration of the Service.
He noted that while the Commission has statutory responsibilities for human resource management, Management oversees the day-to-day administration and functioning of the institution.
He said both bodies must work through consultation, mutual respect, clearly defined responsibilities and shared institutional objectives, particularly in matters involving the appointment, promotion and deployment of senior and top management staff.
The Clerk also urged participants to clarify the coordinating role of the Clerk to the National Assembly, noting that the institution comprises 3,841 staff, about 12 directorates, 72 departments and four affiliated agencies.
He explained that the Clerk’s coordinating responsibility should not be interpreted as an attempt to compete with agencies whose powers are established by law, but as a mechanism for promoting cooperation, preventing duplication and resolving avoidable conflicts.
According to him, institutional coordination should be based on clearly established procedures rather than individual relationships or personalities.
On staff discipline, the Clerk identified a gap in the existing arrangement, where Management supervises staff while the authority to impose formal disciplinary sanctions rests with the Commission.
He said the separation could delay disciplinary action and create situations in which both institutions shift responsibility for poor performance or unresolved misconduct.
He therefore urged the retreat to examine ways of improving the disciplinary framework and ensuring that accountability mechanisms function effectively.
The Clerk also proposed that the Commission consider delegating appropriate responsibilities for the appointment, promotion and discipline of officers on Grade Levels 3 to 6 to National Assembly Management, subject to policy guidelines, oversight and accountability measures.
He said such delegation would allow the Commission to concentrate more on strategic policy direction and the management of senior and critical cadres, while routine personnel matters could be handled more efficiently by Management.
On staff welfare, he called for a common framework to promote fairness and consistency across the National Assembly Service, while taking into account the operational peculiarities and financial realities of individual agencies.
He said staff welfare should not depend excessively on the personal preferences or circumstances of the chief executives of different agencies.
The Clerk also advocated a more structured approach to staff training and professional development, urging the National Assembly to make greater use of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies as its central platform for capacity building.
He said the existing ad hoc approach to training was unsustainable, particularly given limited financial resources and the increasingly specialised demands of parliamentary administration.
According to him, training should cover legislative practice, parliamentary procedure, policy analysis, research, digital technologies, public financial management, ethics, leadership and emerging global practices.
He added that professional development should be linked to career progression, succession planning, improved performance and the future needs of the institution.
The Clerk stressed that the effectiveness of the National Assembly depended not only on proceedings in the Senate and House of Representatives but also on the competence, professionalism and institutional support provided by its personnel.
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He urged the Commission to provide strategic policy direction, Management to ensure efficient administration and the staff to have confidence in a fair and professional career system.
He expressed hope that the retreat would produce practical recommendations to strengthen institutional harmony, improve human resource management and build a more accountable and efficient National Assembly Service.
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