Strike looms as n’assembly staff protest ‘illegal’ promotion of 150 workers

There is dissatisfaction among some national assembly staff members over what they describe as the “illegal” promotion of over 150 workers in 2017.

TheCable understands that the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) is under pressure to reverse these promotions.

The commission, under the leadership of Adamu Fika at the time, had reportedly approved placements for staff members, who were given letters of appointment for a particular grade level, but requested an upgrade to a more “suitable position”.

On that basis, some staff members were alleged to have been promoted ahead of their contemporaries.

In a memo written in August 2017 and addressed to Mohammed Sani-Omolori, former clerk of the national assembly, Fika said the actions taken by the commission under him “does not exist in the public service”.

The former chairman informed Sani-Omolori that the commission would no longer entertain any request of that kind.

“The Guidelines on Appointment, Promotions and Discipline for the National Assembly Service in 1.4 subsection 1.4.4 states ‘where an applicant has accepted an offer of a position that is lower than that for which he initially applied, shall not after assumption of duty, petition for upgrading or review on account of comparison with his erstwhile or other colleagues’,” Fika had said in the memo seen by TheCable.

“In order to redress the situation and also ensure equity, justice and fairness, the commission has over the past two years, looked into cases presented by various staff and approved the adjustments of the appointment of some officers’ in the National Assembly Service.

“With effect from 24th of August, 2017, the National Assembly Service Commission shall not entertain any requests for proper placement as it doesn’t exist in the Public Service, please.”

Some of the protesting staff alleged that the “proper placement” favoured the north more than any zone of the country.

Speaking on the matter on Sunday, an NASC official, who preferred not to be named, said if Ahmed Amashi, NASC chairman, does not reverse the promotions, the workers plan to picket the national assembly in the coming days.

“It is unfair. If nothing is done to reverse this injustice, we will hold demonstrations in the national assembly,” the official said.

The NASC is, however, yet to officially comment on the matter.