National Assembly Clerk, Ogunlana Calls for Merit-Based Promotions, Unified Staff Database
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana has called for reforms in the management of personnel, staff records, discipline and welfare to improve efficiency, transparency and professionalism in the National Assembly Service.
The Clerk made the call while delivering his opening speech at a three-day retreat for the National Assembly top management and the National Assembly Service Commission, held at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, from October 15 to 18, 2026.
He said the retreat provided an opportunity for the leadership of the National Assembly Service to critically examine existing administrative practices and identify measures to build a more efficient, accountable and professional institution.
According to him, the effectiveness of the National Assembly in legislation, representation, oversight and accountability depends not only on proceedings in the two chambers but also on the competence and professionalism of the personnel supporting legislative activities.
He stressed the need for the institution to strengthen its commitment to merit, competence, experience, performance and due process in staff appointments, promotions and career development.
The Clerk warned that appointments and promotions influenced by considerations outside the National Assembly Service Act 2014 and the applicable Scheme of Service could result in judicial challenges, administrative embarrassment and institutional instability.
He noted that subordinating seniority, relevant experience and competence to considerations such as geographical origin could result in the appointment of individuals who lack the requisite capacity to perform their responsibilities effectively.
Describing the situation as an institutional challenge, he said addressing it required collective commitment rather than assigning blame to individuals or particular administrations.
On staff records, the Clerk called for the establishment of a single, authoritative and continuously updated database to eliminate inconsistencies, duplication and questionable staff profiles.
He explained that the database should contain verifiable information on every staff member, including identity, cadre, grade level, qualifications, appointment and promotion history, postings and training records.
He described accurate staff records as a matter of institutional integrity rather than merely an administrative requirement.
Clerk Seeks Stronger Collaboration Between Commission, Management
The Clerk also called for improved collaboration between the National Assembly Service Commission and the National Assembly Management, warning against the development of institutional silos.
He acknowledged that both bodies had distinct statutory functions and responsibilities but maintained that their roles were complementary and should be exercised in the collective interest of the institution.
According to him, the Commission has important statutory responsibilities for human resource management, while the Management is responsible for the day-to-day administration and effective functioning of the National Assembly.
He said effective coordination required consultation, mutual respect, clarity of roles and shared institutional objectives, particularly in decisions concerning the appointment, promotion and discipline of senior personnel.
The Clerk urged participants to use the retreat to clarify the respective roles of the Commission and Management in appointing and deploying top management staff.
He explained that the objective was not to diminish the authority of either body but to improve decision-making and strengthen institutional harmony.
Clerk Clarifies Coordinating Role of Office
Addressing what he described as differing interpretations of the coordinating role of the Clerk to the National Assembly, he called for a clearer understanding of the office’s responsibilities within the institution.
He disclosed that the National Assembly Service comprises 3,841 staff, approximately 12 directorates, 72 departments and four affiliated agencies established to support parliamentary activities.
He argued that the size and complexity of the institution made effective coordination essential to prevent duplication, avoidable conflicts and administrative inefficiencies.
According to him, the Clerk serves as an institutional bridge between the political leadership of the National Assembly and affiliated agencies, including the National Assembly Service Commission.
He, however, clarified that the coordinating role should not be interpreted as competing with the statutory powers of the Commission or other agencies.
Rather, he said, the office should facilitate cooperation among the various components of the National Assembly Service to ensure they work towards common objectives.
He called for institutional protocols that would establish clear procedures for coordination and reduce dependence on personal relationships.
The Clerk maintained that coordination should be embedded in established institutional processes and understood by all stakeholders.
Clerk Raises Concerns Over Delays in Staff Discipline
The National Assembly Clerk also identified delays in disciplinary proceedings as an issue requiring urgent attention.
He said the division of responsibilities between Management, which supervises staff, and the Commission, which exercises formal disciplinary authority, could create delays in addressing misconduct.
According to him, such delays could undermine staff performance and make it difficult to establish responsibility when administrative failures occur.
He urged the retreat participants to examine the existing disciplinary framework and develop mechanisms for ensuring that misconduct is addressed promptly and effectively.
The Clerk also proposed that the Commission consider delegating appropriate responsibilities for the appointment, promotion and discipline of officers on Grade Levels 3 to 6 to the National Assembly Management.
He explained that such an arrangement, subject to policy guidelines, oversight and accountability mechanisms established by the Commission, would reduce the administrative burden on the Commission.
He added that delegation would enable the Commission to concentrate more on strategic policy responsibilities and the management of senior and critical cadres.
“Delegation, properly designed, is not a surrender of authority. It is a means of making authority more effective,” he said.
Clerk Advocates Unified Staff Welfare Framework
On staff welfare, the Clerk called for a coherent framework that would promote fairness and consistency across the National Assembly Service.
He said staff welfare should not depend excessively on the personal preferences or circumstances of the chief executive of an individual agency.
According to him, a common welfare framework would provide greater predictability and fairness while accommodating the operational peculiarities and financial realities of the different agencies.
He stressed that such an arrangement would reinforce the principle that personnel across the various institutions belong to one National Assembly Service.
Clerk Urges Investment in Staff Training
The Clerk further emphasised the need for continuous professional development to strengthen the capacity of personnel to meet the changing demands of parliamentary administration.
He identified legislative practice, parliamentary procedure, policy analysis, research, digital technologies, public financial management, ethics, leadership and emerging global practices as key areas requiring sustained training.
He described the existing ad hoc approach to staff training as unsustainable, particularly in view of limited financial resources.
To address the challenge, he called for greater use of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) as the central professional training and development platform for National Assembly personnel.
He maintained that training should go beyond attendance at courses to support career progression, succession planning, improved performance and the institution’s long-term needs.
The Clerk said the retreat would be meaningful if it enabled participants to address critical questions about the relationship between the Commission and Management and determine the kind of National Assembly Service they intended to leave for future generations.
He expressed optimism that frank discussions and collective commitment would help strengthen the institution’s administrative structures and improve its capacity to support Nigeria’s democratic process.
He reiterated that while the Commission should provide strategic policy direction and Management should ensure professional and efficient administration, staff must have confidence in a fair and transparent career system.
The retreat brought together the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, members of the National Assembly Service Commission, former Clerks to the National Assembly, top management staff, directors, resource persons and other stakeholders.
