The Clerk of Nigeria’s National Assembly has rejected a retirement notice served him and 150 others based on their ages or years of service, saying the notice the action was at variance with relevant law.
Mohammed Ataba Sani-Omolori in a response to retirement notice sent by Ahmed Kadi Amshi, Executive Chairman of the National Assembly Commission, said the prevailing law put the retirement Assembly staff at 40 years of service or 65 years of age, whichever comes first.
In the letter by Amshi, the retirement age of staffers of the Assembly was put at 35 years of service or 60 years, whichever comes first.
Pursuant to its mandate as provided in the National Assembly Service Act 2014 (as amended), the National Assembly Service Commission at its 497th meeting held on Wednesday 15th July 2020 has approved the retirement age of the staff of the National Assembly Service as 35 years of service or 60 years of age whichever comes first, he said.
“To this effect, the Commission has approved the immediate retirement of staff of the National Assembly Service who have already attained the retirement age of 35 years of service or 60 years of age,” Amshi said.
Retirement letters would be issued to the affected staff accordingly, he noted.
But Sani-Omolori rejected this notice.
“The Management of the National Assembly wishes to inform all staff and the general public that the extant regulation as contained in our Revised Conditions of Service duly passed by both Chambers of the 8th National Assembly puts the retirement age of staff at 40 years of service and 65 years of age whichever comes first,” Sani-Omolori wrote in his response.
He said that the Resolution of the 8th National Assembly on the Conditions of Service of Staff has not been rescinded nor abdicated by the National Assembly, who under the authentic National Assembly Service Act 2014 as passed is empowered to review any proposed amendment to the Conditions of Service by the Commission.
Therefore, the National Assembly Service Commission does NOT have the powers to set aside the Revised Conditions of Service as passed by the 8th National Assembly.
The Management had maintained a studied silence in deference to the leadership of the 9th National Assembly who is looking into the position being canvassed by the Commission. It is therefore intriguing that the National Assembly Service Commission has unilaterally gone ahead to take a ‘’ decision,’’ Sani-Omolori said.
The Management urged all staff to disregard the press release by the Commission and go about their lawful duties.
