By Jacob Kubeka (ABUJA) –
Acting Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Mr Sani Magaji Tambuwal, has inaugurated the central planning committee on the inauguration/induction programme for Members and Senators-elect of the 10th National Assembly.
Also inaugurated is the central planning committee on the payment of severance allowances to legislators and legislative aides of the 9th National Assembly.
According to the CNA, the induction programmes would serve to initiate new members into their new workplace.
Tambuwal said: “They also serve as refresher programmes on legislative practice and procedures for returning members and senators.”
“This exercise which we are about to embark upon is therefore timely and necessary.”
Membership of the committee on the inauguration ceremony/induction programme for members-elect of the 10th National Assembly is drawn from National Assembly Management, National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) and National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
Mr Tambuwal reiterated that in choosing members of the two committees, deliberate attempt was made to select very diligent, honest, hardworking officers for the assignment.
He continued: “going by your track records of high performance, I have no doubt that you’ll justify the confidence reposed in you by the top management.”
He also emphasized that for the avoidance of doubt, the contributions and participation of NILDS officials in the committee was limited to the induction programme.
The Acting CNA recognized, specially, the support and partnership of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) during the induction of the 9th National Assembly.
Read him: “They have already assured me of their maximum collaboration and partnership during the induction programme for members-elect of the 10th National Assembly.”
The acting CNA, however, noted with regrets, over the years, the very high turnover rate of members in every election year.
“In some cases, up to 70 percent of National Assembly members failed to return after elections. This means that, enormous capacity and experience is thereby lost,” he lamented.
The only way, he suggested to replace this lost knowledge and capacity, was through training and retraining at “every turn of our political history.”
The central planning committee on the inauguration ceremony/induction programme for members-elect of the 10th National Assembly; and The central planning committee on the payment of severance Allowances to legislators and legislative Aides of the 9th National Assembly is to be chaired by the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly, Barrister Kamoru Ogunlana.