The Concerned Yoruba Youth of Nigeria has called on the National Assembly to immediately step down a bill by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, which seeks to amend the method of appointment of Clerk to the National Assembly, CNA.
The bill, if passed into law, will mandate only individuals who have served with the chambers to be appointed as the Clerk of the National Assembly.
Airing their voices on the development on Tuesday, at a press conference in Lagos, the National President of the group, Oluwasegun Thompson, and its National Secretary, Ayofemi Badmus, argued that the proposed law “is a discrimination to well-meaning Nigerians who qualify to serve as Clerk”.
According to the group, although the Clerk of the National Assembly plays important roles in the activities of the assembly by overseeing administrative duties, providing procedural advice, the appointment should not be restricted to only those who have served in the chambers.
The group claimed it discovered that the bill was discriminatory and violated the terms of service under which many National Assembly Service Commission, NASC staff were employed.
It reminded the lawmakers that “hundreds of committed employees of the NASC have tirelessly devoted their lives to ensuring the legislature runs smoothly”, insisting that by restricting the appointment of the CNA to only individuals who have served within the chambers, the “bill undermines the NASC’s role.
“We further call on all well-meaning lawmakers to resist every evil attempt to manipulate the career structure of the National Assembly Service Commission for sectional or personal gains”, the group said.
Very discriminatry – NASS urged to step down bill on appointment of clerk
