By FRED ITUAH, Abuja

There is growing tension in the National Assembly over the alleged illegal and lopsided promotion of over 150 staff without recourse to the Public Service rules. The tension, Daily Sun has learnt, may soon lead to a protest if the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) does not act.

According to documents seen by the Daily Sun, the said promotion was done in August 2017 when Adamu Fika held sway as Chairman of the NASC.

According to one of the memos addressed to the former Clerk of the National Assembly, Sanni Omolori by Fika, he admitted that the action the Commission took in addressing the issue of proper placements was against the Public Service rules.

It was learned that some of those promoted bypassed some steps in the Service and were promoted ahead of their contemporaries. The development led to a series of protests by aggrieved staff who are insisting that the action must be reversed by the new Commission which came on stream last year.

The protesting staff are also demanding that Federal Character principles must be followed in the promotion of staff. They argued that the alleged illegal promotion carried out by Fika-led NASC, favoured his section of the country.

Part of the letter read: ‘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.’

After series of protests, Daily Sun learned that the Ahmed Amashi-led NASC may review some of the promotions and placements which didn’t follow the Public Service rules. If the Commision goes ahead to review the exercise, over 100 staff are expected to be affected.

A source in the office of the chairman, said the move is necessary to guide against bad blood in the Service and unnecessarily place those undeserving above their peers. The source said staff already shortlisted for possible demotion, are scouting for top traditional rulers from the North to prevail on Amshi to halt the move.

He said the action ought to have been taken months before now, but explained that the pressure is growing by the day to halt the move, which many stakeholders in the National Assembly are rooting for.

‘If the Commision fails to act, we should expect some consequences. Staff are angry and they’re waiting to see if the Commision will act or do otherwise before we will begin to see documents flying around,’ the source added. (Sunday Sun)

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