NASS Clerk, Omolori risks suspension, queried for insurbordination

The Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Mohammed Ataba Sani-Omolori risked being suspended from office according to the public service rules for issuing a counter press release on Wednesday as a reaction to the earlier press release by the Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), Engr. Ahmed Kadi Amshi.

In a statement on Wednesday, the NASC board Chairman had issued a circular which was followed by a press release to the effect that staff of the National Assembly who have attained 60 years of age or having spent 35 years in service would be retired in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Service rules.

A development that would retire the Clerk, but in a swift reaction, the Clerk issued a counter press release asking the public to ignore the statement from NASC.

Sani-Omolori insisted that all the NASS workers are bound by its own set of rules, saying that, a “NASS worker retires at age 65 or 40 years of service”, which according to him was the resolution of the 8th National Assembly.

But at the turn of events on Thursday, he was slammed with query.

The query reads: “The attention of the National Assembly Service Commission was drawn to a Press Release titled: “Retirement age for staff of the National Assembly Service is 40 years of Service or 65 years of Age, whichever comes first” dated 15th July, 2020 and signed by M.A Sani-Omolori, Clerk to the National Assembly.

“As you are very much aware, the Clerk to the National Assembly is an employee of the National Assembly Service Commission, vide Section 6(1)b of the National Assembly Service Act, 2014 (As amended).

“The Clerk to the National Assembly has no authority whatsoever to dictate anything to the Commission.

“Your press release is considered by the Commission as a gross insubordination to a constituted authority.

“You are, by this letter requested to explain to the Commission within twenty four (24) hours as to why disciplinary action will not be taken against you as per the provision of Section 6(2)b of the National Assembly Service Act, 2014 (As Amended) for this gross insubordination.”