NASS Pushes For New Salary Structure For Aides

The National Assembly is considering the creation of a separate salary framework for aides attached to Senators and members of the House of Representatives.

The move is aimed at addressing concerns over job insecurity and welfare among the thousands of aides working across both chambers.

With 109 Senators and 360 House members, each lawmaker employs several aides who play critical roles in legislative activities. However, many of them face uncertain terms of service, as their appointments are often tied directly to the tenure and decisions of their principals.

At a three-day training programme for aides in Abuja, Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, stressed that the current system does not fully reflect the unique demands of legislative aides. He noted that, unlike career civil servants, aides do not enjoy job stability or clear promotion pathways, and their duties are not properly defined under existing laws.

The proposed framework seeks to create a distinct salary structure and working conditions tailored to the responsibilities of legislative aides. It also calls for stronger protections against arbitrary dismissal, clearer job descriptions, and updated qualification standards to attract more skilled professionals.

Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission, Saviour Enyiekere, urged aides to sharpen their knowledge and skills to support their principals more effectively and improve legislative performance.

Participants at the training included Chiefs of Staff to presiding officers, Special Advisers, Senior Legislative Aides, and other categories of support staff. The programme was jointly organised by the National Assembly and Research Enterprise Systems.

Funding for aides is already part of the National Assembly’s annual budget. In 2023, about N228.1 billion was allocated to the legislature, covering salaries, allowances, severance, and other expenses. Of this amount, around N8 billion went directly to the pay and allowances of over 3,000 legislative aides.