Amidst confusion over Senate’s position on a Bill to extend retirement age for civil servants in the National Assembly, a Civil Society Organisation, Foundation for Rights Enforcement, Enlightenment and Defence, has challenged Clerk to the National Assembly, Magaji Sani Tambawal, to reveal details of their terms of Service.
The Bill which was passed last December but awaiting the Concurrence of the Senate was stepped down last Wednesday even when it was listed in the Order Paper.
If passed by Senate, it will extend the retirement age of the staff of the National Assembly Service from 60 to 65 years of age and years of service from 35 to 40.
Addressing journalists on Monday in Abuja, leader of the Forum, Mohammed Saidu, alleged that Clerk to the National Assembly was goading the workers union in the National Assembly, the
Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), to give support to the Service extension since he would automatically be amongst the beneficiaries.
He said: “This time, we want to put it to the Clerk that he is misleading the 10th Assembly, using a compromised union to pursue his personal ambition of breaching the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“It is only the Clerk that thinks that the union has the capacity to regulate their service year. The same Clerk during the election of the Senate president, Godswill Akpabio, jettisoned the Senate rule on ranking but rather used the 1999 constitution as amended.
“Today, the same Clerk wants to mislead the 10th Assembly by lobbying the National Assembly on a matter that is against the constitution.
“Ask the Clerk if did he not summon a meeting of the management of National Assembly and the Agenda was 65 years and 40 years.
“This man is supposed to proceed on leave April this year. What do you expect from such a congress? Ask the Clerk who sponsored the public hearing that was done without any advert and was done the day the Nigerian labour congress went on strike.
“Ask the Clerk who is lobbying senators and members of the House of Representatives with gifts in form of aides appointed? This same Clerk and other permanent secretaries who are penciled for retirement this year joined the union in rejecting the controversial bill in the past.
“Today, they want to mislead the 10th Assembly to pass a law that is at variance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Finally, we call on the Senate to kill this controversial bill in accordance with the Council on Establishment at its 45th meeting held December, 2023 in Bauchi. For the umpteenth, time reject outrightly the request for upward review of retirement age for public servants to 40 years and 60 years of age with the view that it is contrary to national aspirations of Renewed Hope, youth development, innovation and also not in tandem with the reality of our population dynamics.”
A top management staff at the National Assembly however absolved the Clerk to National Assembly.
The source who pleaded not to be named said Tambuwal was not interested in the ongoing move for the five-year extension.
He attributed the controversial Bill to a genuine move to halt brain drain in the National Assembly as he noted the parliament is on the brink of suffering from brain and memory loss of knowledge and expertise, owing to the retirement of good hands.
He said: “Sani Magaji, that I know is not a desperate person who will want to hang on to power. I can tell you, repeatedly that, the CNA will not or do not intend to spend a minute longer upon his retirement when it eventually comes.
“People should stop dragging the CNA into this unwarranted controversy. And that such people with this kind of sinister motive to tarnish or dent his noble image should desist from it.”