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REMARKS BY THE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SERVICE COMMISSION, ENGR. AHMED KADI AMISHI, FNSE ON THE OCASSION OF THE PRESENTATION OF THREE (3) YEARS REPORT OF NASC (2020, 2021 & 2022) TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, AHMAD IBRAHIM LAWAN, PhD, GCON 13TH APRIL, 2023
It is by the grace of God Almighty and the common will of the 9th National Assembly under your very humble and Charismatic Leadership that we were inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR on the 26th February, 2020, as the 5th Commission of the National Assembly Service Commission.
2. As we gradually inch towards the winding up of the 9th National Assembly, we find it realistically necessary to pay this courtesy call to express our profound thank you for the unquantifiable supports you have rendered to the National Assembly Service Commission and consequently to the National Assembly Service at large within your tenure.
3. Before proceeding further, let me on behalf of all the Hon.
4. Your Excellency, we are here today to present to you the reports of activities of the National Assembly Service Commission for the past three (3) years (2020, 2021 and 2022). Before doing that, we would like to place on record our profound gratitude for your personal interventions into the various industrial actions embarked upon by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) in relation to the payment of staff allowances. Had it not been for your interventions, the industrial actions by PASAN would have paralyzed the activities of the National Assembly.
Another point worth placing on public record today, is your support to the construction of a befitting National Assembly Service Commission Office Building within the premises of the National Assembly Complex. We remain ever grateful for your support right from inception up to the completion of the project.
I also wish to take this opportunity to express our profound appreciation to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Service Matters, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau and his Committee Members for their continued support to the programmes of Commission.
5. Not to bore you with too much speech, I would like to mention just a few of the progresses we recorded within the last three (3) years of our being in Office which we feel are worth noting: Reviewed the Conditions of Service for the National Assembly Service to ensure that staff due for retirement were retired appropriately as at when due; thus reducing stagnation in the Service, which boost staff morale and efficiency in the system. The Conditions of Service also provided for special allowances for the Staff of the Service to ensure job satisfaction and make the National Assembly a great place to work.
> Schemes of Service: The Commission produced new Schemes of Service to ensure that all Cadres that are peculiar to the Service are adequately provided for.
> Code of Ethics: We also established a Code of Ethics to guide staff ethical conducts during and after office hours.
Expansion of the Establishment Structure of the National Assembly Management as well as the National Assembly Service Commission to provide opportunities for upward movement of Staff; thus reduced stagnation in the system. > The Commission resolved the pending issues of 221 Candidates employed in 2018 by the 4th Commission but were not absorbed into the system as well as 40 Medical Personnel on Locum Service for periods of over five (5) years were also absorbed into the Service.
➤ Appointments: The Commission has ensured appropriate appointments into all existing vacancies regularly with competent and experienced personnel within the service to ensure productivity and orderliness, taking into cognizance the guidelines provided in the National Assembly Service Act, 2014 and Extant Public Service Rules.
> Promotions, Conversions & Disciplinary Cases: All backlogs of Promotions and Conversions for deserving Staff were immediately cleared, while continuous promotions were carried out as at when due. The following numbers of staff were duly promoted, converted and disciplinary cases handled in line with the Extant Rules:
a. Promotions – 2,745 staff promoted
b. Conversion – 447 staff converted
c. Disciplinary Cases – 5
Payment of Salary Arrears and Allowances: All pending arrears arising from the consequential adjustment of the Minimum Wage were cleared, while certain allowances due to staff were regularly paid.
Staff Training: The Commission has developed a Training Manual for the Service and this is being implemented accordingly. Appropriate Capacity Building trainings are being undertaken.
The Legislative Aides are also being trained annually by the Commission to improve their performance as they render services to the Legislators.
> Conference & Parliamentary Study Tours: The Commission undertakes annual Parliamentary Study Tour to various Parliaments across the World to share experiences on issues of common interest. So far, we have visited United Arab Emirate, Cape Verde, Zambia, Tanzania and United Kingdom
➤ Visits to State Assembly Service Commissions: The Commission had regularly undertaken visits to the State Assembly Service Commissions to discuss challenges and share experiences with them. To this effect, an Annual Conference of NASC/SASCs was held in Kaduna in 2021 which was a huge success.
> Upgrade of ICT in the Commission: The Commission has upgraded its ICT facilities, which can now provide a robust Database for the personnel of the Service.
➤ Regular verifications were being conducted by the Commission to ensure that qualified staff with appropriate qualifications are in the Service and placed properly.
> Construction of NASC Office Complex: With the support of the Leadership of the 9th National Assembly, the National Assembly Service Commission has commenced the construction of a befitting Office Complex within the National Assembly Premises. The project has reached an advanced stage of completion.
Inclusion of the National Assembly Service Commission and the State Assembly Service Commissions in the ongoing Amendment of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
6. Obviously, we would not have achieved all these without the support of the Leadership of the 9th National Assembly. We remain ever grateful.
7. We congratulate you, the Leadership and the entire Senate of the 9th Assembly for an outstanding performance. The successes you recorded can best be described as unprecedented.
8. As the 9th Assembly is winding up in June 2023, we pray to God almighty to protect and guide you all in your future endeavours.
9. At this juncture it is with great pleasure and indeed a sense of duty that I present to Your Excellency the Report of the activities of the National Assembly Service Commission for 2020, 2021 and 2022 combined in one volume
10. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Massalam
Engr Ahmed Kadi Amshi FNSE Executive Chairman.
