By Shina Lawal
Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, Esq. has served notice of his commitment to pursue radical changes in the National Assembly bureaucracy.
Ogunlana, who spoke at his maiden meeting with Clerks and Secretaries of the National Assembly on Monday, assured the meeting that consultations would be made with the intent to further sustain the system.
He said he hoped that, collectively, they would achieve positive impacts, especially in relation to areas that had either been ignored or abandoned for years.
According to him, “As leaders of the National Assembly bureaucracy, we have an opportunity to be part of this transformation. Notwithstanding the enthusiasm to inject radical changes, it is important to note that everyone will have to operate within the confines of the extant rules and regulations guiding our work.”
He commended clerks and secretaries for the remarkable work they had done over the years in sustaining the efficiency and effectiveness of the National Assembly bureaucracy and the National Assembly as an institution and critical arm in the trinity of the executive, judiciary, and legislature.
He said: “Indeed, your dedication and professionalism have continued to hold the National Assembly Service, not leaving out the integrity of the bureaucracy of the National Assembly.
He stated that as the Clerk to the National Assembly, he was committed to fostering an administration that was built on inclusivity and accountability.
“My vision is to create an enabling environment for every disciplined and willing member of the National Assembly Community, especially staff members, to have and cherish a sense of being part of a system where they are given an opportunity to contribute their best towards achieving the organizational goals of the National Assembly which is providing legislative and administrative support to members of the National Assembly.
“I cannot achieve this without your support; we have to come together as a team, to re-strategize, plan, and set pragmatic timelines for ourselves. I intend to operate an all-encompassing and inclusive system where consultation, teamwork, and mutual respect will be the fulcrum of our administration.
“Permit me to mention here that every Clerk, Secretary, all Directors and every staff member across all directorates, will play a critical role in advancing the set goals of this administration.”
Ogunlana said he intended to build on strong foundations while correcting mistakes of the past.
According to him, “Times are changing; now we must catch up with reality. It has become necessary to rebuild the ‘technology infrastructure backbone’ of the National Assembly and initiate the ideals of having a paperless legislature, a technology driven legislative support system that will improve our work and the quality of legislation.”
He also underscored the necessity to rebuild relationships with agencies that were created under the National Assembly Service, namely: NILDS, NABRO, NALTF, and PCC.
“These agencies have so much to offer to the system, and we must work together and take full advantage of their platforms as created by law. It is an opportunity for the system to thrive.”
Meanwhile, the CNA took the opportunity of the maiden meeting to intimate the clerks and secretaries about some of the agenda reforms that would be implemented on his watch.
These, according to him, included new retirement age for medical doctors, observing the mandatory three months leave by potential retirees, review of procurement processes and procedures, paying attention to legislative drafting, strengthening access control in National Assembly with a view to securing life and property and establish authentic staff nominal roll.
The law reform, he said, would cover National Assembly Service Act, National Assembly Pension Board (Establishment) Bill, National Assembly Property (Control and Management) Bill, NABRO Bill, and National Assembly Service (Finance Management) Bill.
He announced that his administration would be committed to staff welfare, stressing that he would ensure payment of all outstanding regular claims, sustain regular staff members’ training and regular training of legislative aides, payment of salary as and when due, reviving payment of gratuity for National Assembly retirees and promotion of staff members as and when due, as well as strengthening the health service.
