As the National Assembly resumes plenary Tuesday, February 9, some legislative aides have called on lawmakers to prevail on the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Arch. Amos Ojo to pay their 2019 salary arrears without further delay.
Speaking under the auspices of Salaries Arrears Affected Legislative Aides, they noted that payment of the long-awaited arrears was the only way to avert crisis in the institution.
Specifically, they noted that “The continued refusal of the CNA to pay about 2,500 aides their salaries arrears has created a sharp division between Aides on one hand and the Management on the other”.
In a statement signed by representatives of the group from the six geopolitical zones, and made available to CAPITAL POST on Sunday in Abuja, the legislative aides called on the Chairman, House Adhoc Committee on Legislative Aides Salaries, Hon. Wale Raji to compel the CNA to pay them their arrears by releasing the report of the Committee which had long concluded its deliberation.
The statement was signed by Zebis Prince for South South, Tony Omali Esq. (North Central), Adebisi Kilanso (South West), Waziri Anaba (North West), Chinedu Nwokeukwu for South West and Audi Alaso (North East).
According to them, in series of recent engagements between the NASSLAF Executive and Management, the CNA continually referred aggrieved aides to the Chairman of the Committee.
The statement expressed dismay that “Rather than offset the vexed 2019 arrears, the former CNA in his own whims opted to pay few Aides part of their 2020 arrears even though the 2019 and 2020 arrears were budgeted for and the sums released by Ministry of Finance since 2019”.
The aggrieved aides cited other grievances to include nonpayment of routine Duty Tour Allowance (DTA), training, non-implementation of national minimum wage and the Consolidated Legislative Aides Salary Structure (CONLESS). These benefits, according to the statement, are already being enjoyed by National Assembly staff.
The statement reads: “We had through a letter dated 13th December, 2020 notified the Commission, the Senate President, the Speaker, Sergeant-at-Arms, DSS and the National Assembly DPO of our intention to commence series of actions to drive home our demands for the payment of our salary arrears. The protest was, however, suspended after the DSS prevailed on us to stay action. They assured us that the money would be paid on or before 21st December, 2020.
“However, the CNA again failed to keep to his words. On account of this breach, we have set machinery in motion to bring our plight to the attention of all relevant stakeholders and agencies.
“We found out that at the beginning of the 9th Assembly, lawmakers were given assumption of duty form to be endorsed stating when their aides assumed duty. This form, as is the norm in Public Service and para-military organisations, indicates when employees resumed. That has always been the case and that formed the basis of the Legislative Aides submission to the Presiding Officers and Chairman of the Commission.
“The matter was even raised on the floor of the House by Hon. Bamidele Salam (Osun) and a Committee was set up headed by Hon. Wale Raji from Lagos. The current CNA (Arch. Amos Ojo) appeared before the Committee and was asked to pay the monies especially as the money was available.
“Also, in a meeting held with the new NASSLAF EXCO, the CNA made a firm commitment to the EXCO that the 2019 arrears would be paid ‘on or before the 21st of December, 2020′.
“It was his failure to keep to that date and the NASSLAF EXCO’s lame attempt to defend that broken promise that has divided NASSLAF and led to the formation of Salaries Arrears Affected Aides who promised to take their destinies in their hands.
“From all indications, it seems there is no let up and judging from the determination of the aggrieved legislative aides, a lot would unfold when the National Assembly resumes from their long recess”.
