₦airaland Forum

With President Muhammadu Buhari yet to assent to the “Retirement Age and Conditions of Service Bill”, which raised the exit age of National Assembly (NASS) workers to 65 years, the federal legislature’s bureaucracy has started its implementation.

The NASS management action, according to some lawmakers, contravenes the country’s public service rules.

LEADERSHIP had exclusively reported on Monday that the lawmakers, who described the tenure elongation and new conditions of service as illegal, had vowed to stop the bill. They argued that the bill which the 8th Assembly passed cannot by implemented by the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) until the president assent to it.

Under the public service rules and regulations, which apply to the NASS workforce, the retirement age remains 60 years or 35 years in service with the exemption of judges and professors.



LEADERSHIP gathered yesterday that NASC had started implementing the new rules as officials due for retirement had remained in office.

With the implementation of the controversial conditions of service by the NASS management, their officials will now retire at 65 years of age or after serving for 40 years.



Among the likely beneficiaries of the new arrangement are the secretary of NACS, Olusanya Ajakaye, the clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Mohammed Sani-Omolori, and the clerk of the House of Representatives, Giwa Anonkhai.

Sani-Omolori, who was born on May 7, 1961 started his working career on February 6, 1985. He is expected to retire in February next year when he attains 35 years in service under the old order.

Anonkhai will attain the mandatory retirement age of 60 next year. He was born on November 25, 1960.

LEADERSHIP gathered that Ajakaye who was supposed to proceed on retirement leave in May 2019, is still in office. He was born on August 19, 1959.



If the new condition of service stands, the three National Assembly officers will have additional five years in service.

Ajakaye’s stay in office is not unconnected with a memo signed for the NASS clerk by the director Pension Administration and Life Insurance, Felix Osaze Orumwense, notifying him of the new condition of service as contained in the bill passed by both chambers of the 8th National Assembly.



In the memo, the clerk said: “This is to inform National Assembly staff that have retired from service from 1st January to May 20, 2019 that the new condition of service passed by both chambers of the National Assembly carries an effective date of 21st May, 2019.

“In view of this stance, I am directed to request staff who retired from 1st January, 2019 to 20th May, 2019 to commence their retirement process and exit fully from service as the new condition of service did not cover them to remain in service. Those concerned are strictly advised to comply,” to the memo dated 19 June, 2019, stated.

Also, Ajakaye confirmed LEADERSHIP that NASC had started the implementation of the new condition of service that legitimised his stay.

He said: “The National Assembly has started the implementation of a new condition of service and that is what we are using. I’ve not been notified of any other thing.”



LEADERSHIP gathered that before the condition of service for NASC was drafted, the former executive chairman of the commision, Dr. Adamu Mohammed Fika, wrote to the immediate past Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, informing them that they had pegged the retirement age at 35 years of service or attainment of 60 years of age in view of the widespread unemployment in the country.

The letter written by NASC dated May 23, 2018, said that Section 61(a) of the National Assembly Service Commission Act 2014, which empowers them “to formulate and implement guidelines” and Section 19 (i) which dwells on regulations on conditions of service, put the retirement age at 60 years of age or 35 years of service.

“The commission has reviewed all the areas of the conditions of service for the National Assembly Service as required. In carrying out the review, the commission considered the provisions in the conditions of service in the wider public service and the allowances that are applicable in the public sector in the federation.



“We have recommended the retention of the retirement age to be 35 years of service or attainment of 60 years of age in view of widespread unemployment in the country,” Fika wrote.

While legislative work on the new conditions of service was on, some interest groups went to the Federal High Court to challenge the plan to increase the years of service for the NASS workers amongst others.

The case in suit no ABJ/CS/417/2019 which is before Justice E. Ekwo of Court 6 of the Federal High Court, Abuja challenged the powers and competence of the National Assembly to amend or regulate the conditions of service of staff of the National Assembly.



The lawmakers ignored the case but the lawyer to the plaintiff, M.M. Bakari wrote to both the Senate president and the speaker on 15th May, 2019 protesting their disobedience of the court order. He threatened to take further action within the ambit of the law to ensure that no fait accomplice is foisted on the court and the sanctity of the judiciary not disrespected. The court case comes up next July 2.

While the two chambers passed different versions of the bill ignoring the court, they formed harmonization committee made up of six members from the Senate and seven from the Lower House.

At the end, the harmonized version of the bill was passed which the NASC has started implementing.

https://leadership.ng/2019/06/27/nass-mgt-begins-implementation-of-illegal-conditions-of-service/

2papa:
They claim we are they leaders of Tomorrow but those that have reach the retirement age are looking for ways to Amend the Public Service Rule.

After voting one retired ancestor as a president.. you're now ranting when they rest ancestors' beginning to make it a norm....