“Akpabio Tackles Service Extension” — Senate President Orders End To Post-Retirement Stay

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has kicked against management staff of the National Assembly who often seek service extension after retirement to enable them remain in office in breach of public service rules.

He also directed the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) to urgently get rid of such management staff from service without any further delay.

Akpabio spoke when the outgoing Chairman and members of the National Assembly Service Commission visited him in Abuja.

“Mr Chairman and members of the National Assembly Service Commission, your visit to me today, for formal notification of end of your tenure is one of mixed feelings.

“Mixed feelings in the sense that it is sad to miss a very experienced hand like you but at the same time, happy that you ended well after five years in office.

“However since you are handing over to the Secretary of the Commission, pending the time myself and the Hon Speaker of the House of Representatives, will make recommendations for new Chairman and members, lapses observed within the last few years must be mentioned.

“One of such lapses is the reluctance on some Clerks, either to the National Assembly, Senate or House of Representatives, to exit office at expiration of their years of service and even lethargy on the part of the commission to ensure enforcement at the appropriate time against such service extension seeking bureaucrats.

“Toleration of such behaviour or acts from the sit-tight bureaucrats by NASC, brought unnecessary politics into the system with attendant factionalization of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) and threats by some people to take the leadership of the National Assembly to ‘Berekete Radio’ otherwise called Human Rights Radio, forgetting that Nigeria has not established human rights radio.

“Politicisation of tenure or years of service of staff of the National Assembly are due to actions and inactions of NASC which must be stopped by sticking to provisions of letters of appointments issued.

“Refusal to proceed on terminal leave by some Clerks, Secretaries or Directors are clear cases of years of service elongation, which must be enforced by NASC.

“In the light of this, amendment will be made to the establishment Act of NASC so that its Secretary will work hand in hand with leadership of the National Assembly for more discipline and effective service delivery in the system,” he said.

The outgoing Chairman of NASC, Engr. Ahmed Kadi Amshi, told Senate President that he and five out of the six National Commissioners of the commission, will be ending their service on the February 7, 2025, having assumed office on February 7, 2020.

He said the commissioner representing South East in the commission, will remain in office till October 14, 2026 since he was appointed on the October, 15 2021.