The National Assembly is considering sweeping reforms for legislative aides, including a distinct salary structure and protection from arbitrary dismissal by lawmakers.
Over 300,000 aides serve the 469 senators and members of the House of Representatives, but their conditions of service have long mirrored those of career civil servants, a framework critics say fails to reflect the political and unstable nature of their work.
At a three-day capacity building workshop in Abuja, Clerk to the National Assembly, Barr. Kamoru Ogunlana, said it was time to fix the systemic issues that leave aides vulnerable.
“Your tenure depends on your principals, your ranking is not tied to competence, and there are no clear guidelines defining your duties,” he told participants. “This has created gaps that expose you to arbitrary treatment. We believe the NASC and RMAFC should design a distinct salary structure that recognises your unique role.”
He also called for stricter appointment standards to attract professionals with the right skills and experience.
Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), Saviour Enyiekere, urged aides to be more knowledgeable and resourceful than their principals, stressing that robust legislative outputs depend on their competence.
The training, organised in collaboration with Research Enterprise Systems (RES), drew Chiefs of Staff to presiding officers, Special Advisers, and Senior Legislative Aides (SLAs), among others.