National Assembly Clerk warns against meritless staff promotions

Kamoru Ogunlana, the Clerk to the National Assembly, has warned against staff promotions driven by external influence rather than merit, competence, and experience. Speaking at a three-day retreat for top management of the National Assembly and the National Assembly Service Commission in Abuja, Ogunlana emphasized that personnel administration must strictly adhere to the National Assembly Service Act 2014 and the applicable scheme of service.

Ogunlana cautioned that allowing outside considerations to dictate appointments and promotions risks serious institutional consequences, including judicial reviews, administrative embarrassment, and institutional instability. He noted that subordinating seniority and competence to factors such as origin could lead to positions being held by individuals lacking the necessary capacity to perform effectively.

Additionally, the Clerk called for an end to unsustainable ad hoc personnel training arrangements. He advocated for utilizing the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) to build institutional capacity and ensure the efficient use of resources.