Senior officials scheme over leadership of National Assembly

Although the disquiet over the race for the position of the Clerk to the National Assembly may have died down, following last week's appointment of Oluyemi Ogunyomi to the post, there is growing tension over the planned restructuring of the National Assembly Management via a bill now before the legislature.

Titled "A Bill to Repeal the National Assembly Service Commission Act, (No 7) 2000 and to Re-enact the National Assembly Service Commission, 2008 with a View to Reorganize the Management and Administrative Structure of the National Assembly for Improved Service Delivery," it is sponsored by the Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin.

The bill seeks the creation of five directorates; with each headed by a director general, an entirely new nomenclature. The five directorates are: Finance and Accounts; Library, Research and Statistics; Legislative Budget and Planning; Management Services; and Legal Services.

The bill also provides for the appointment of 19 directors, 54 deputy directors and 14 Principal Clerk Assistants 1.

Also, the bill provides for the restructuring of the Directorate of the National Assembly which comprises the Office of the Clerk of Senate and the Office of Clerk to the House of Representatives. Under each of the two are offices such as Chambers; Bills and Paper; Procedure and Journal; Committees; Management and Legislative Scrutiny, all to be headed by Principal Clerk Assistants 1.

The Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), which has under it the Office of the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly (DCNA), was left intact. However, the bill proposes that certain key departments be brought directly under the office of the CNA, instead of being an independent directorate.

Some of departments directly under the CNA are: National Secretariat of the Nigerian Legislature; Special Duties; Protocol; Internal Audit; Official Report; Estate and Works; Medical Service; Information Communication technology; Lagos Liaison; and Serjeant-at-Arms. Except for the Lagos Liaison Office, to be headed by an Assistant Director, the rest are to be headed by Directors. The sub-units under those departments are to be headed by deputy directors.

Growing apprehension

But since the bill was proposed by Teslim Folarin (PDP, Oyo), there has been a growing apprehension among the senior directors who fear that they may be displaced by their juniors if the bill is passed.

It was gathered that the apprehension arose from the belief that some of the deputy directors are being prepared to take over from their directors.

Another source of apprehension is the subsuming of some key departments, such as Estate and Works and Information and Technology, under the Office of the CNA.

As a result, some top directors have reportedly commenced lobbying the lawmakers to drop the bill. It was gathered that this was the reason why the bill has not been passed since 2008, when it was first introduced and published in the National Assembly Journal No 37 Vol 5.

"That bill cannot work," a source told us, adding that some of the staff are mobilizing against it.

Mr Folarin (PDP, Oyo) could not be reached to confirm if the staff of the National Assembly are mobilizing against it. He did not pick his calls and a text message sent to him was ignored. When we visited his office, he was not also available to speak with us.

Also, one of his aides refused to reply out text message sent to him. When we called him earlier, he claimed not to be hearing us clearly.

A media officer at the National Assembly Service Commission, Emmanuel Anyigor confirmed in a telephone interview with us on Wednesday that the Commission is aware of the bill.

He, however, refused to indicate whether it is opposing or supporting it.

So many divisions

The Directorate of Legal Services shall comprise Legal Drafting and Litigation and Counselling, each to be headed by a director; while the following divisions under them: namely Bills and Vetting; Research and Report; Agreement and Contract Execution; Litigation; Counselling and Research and Report - will be headed by deputy directors.

Under the Directorate of Legislative Budget and Planning are Legislative Budget, which will be headed by a director and Planning, which will be headed by a separate director. The divisions will be each headed by a deputy director.

The Directorate of Library, Research and Statistics has two divisions, namely Research Services and Library Services, each to be headed by a director.

Administration and Supplies; Human Resources Development; Information and Printing and Publication Department are under the Directorate of Management Services, all to be headed by directors.

The Human Resources Development has divisions such as Human Resources; Welfare and Pensions, Mortgage and Insurance Administrator,

all of which will be headed by deputy directors. Printing and Publication Department has, under it Printing and Publication both of which to be headed by deputy government printer and chief superintendent of press.

Under the Directorate of Finance and Accounts are the following departments - Finance Senate/House of Representatives; and Finance,

Management/Budget (Recurrent), each to be headed by a director. There are divisions such as Finance, Senate; and Finance, House of Representatives headed by deputy directors. The Finance, Management/Budget has under it - Finance,

Management; and Finance, Budget; each to be headed by a deputy director..