By Andrew Oota
The emergence of Alhaji Sani Magaji Tambawal as the clerk to the National Assembly offers another opportunity for the highest lawmaking institution in Nigeria to polish the processes of democratic leadership that responds to the yearnings and expectations of the people.
The wide range of constitutional roles associated with the office of the Clerk to the National Assembly are designed to usher good governance through the activities of the national parliament and consequently define that parliament .
But it is of importance to note that, CNA Tambawal is not just the head of the parliamentary bureacracy in Nigeria , he is also, the chief accounting officer of the parliamentary institution and in that capacity,he is a co-signatory with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on any new law enacted by the nation’s highest lawmaking institution ,the National Assembly.
CNA Tambawal equally has responsibilities to provide an enabling environment for lawmakers to conduct there constitutional business of lawmaking, oversight functions and constituency representations .
As CNA, Tambawal who heads the parliamentary bureaucracy has a responsibility to strive to maintain cordial relations with various publics ,sundry operations and visitors that troops into the premises of the National Assembly on a daily basis for different legitimate reasons, as seeking to under study the Nigerian parliament, obtain relevant informations on different aspects of legislations as well as other related matters .
It is to this extent that Alhaji Sani Magaji Tambawal has his job crystal clearly cut out for him.
So far, he has relied on his experience in civil service and legislative enterprise which prepared him for the task and challenges of today . As CNA, Sani Magaji has activated his vigilance and professionalism codes required to ensure that all National Assembly staff (permanent and ad-hoc) operate on the same page with a common resolve to maintain financial accountability , diligence and due process for the good of Nigerians and those living in Nigeria.
It was on November 2022 exactly one year, Alhaji Tambawal began the journey to transform an institution that nearly became famous for the wrong reasons .
First as acting CNA alongside a substantive CNA Architect Amos Ojo still in office.
Whether it was a wilful anomaly and deliberate attempt to offend the grand and subsisting norm , that is a story for another day.
But to put it by it’s true name will be to say, there was a voice of reason that overthrew that dangerous precedence and Architect Ojo was confined to a compulsory retirement leave paving way for Alhaji Sani Magaji Tambawal to roll his agenda for the National Assembly bureaucracy and to take full responsibilities .
CNA Tambawal indeed hit the ground running by first putting an end to the incessant protests by the Parliamentary Association of Nigerian ,PASAN.
The union was on the marks with management over owned legitimate entitlements .
Tambawal’s prioritization of the welfare of all category of staff and not limited to only PASAN signalled a new era.
Protests had legislative aides under the umbrella of National Assembly Legislative Aides Forum ,NASLAF was as often as that of PASAN without an end in sight prior to the emergence of Sani Magaji Tambawal as CNA and all were as result of non-payment or any genuine commitment to do so.
But what began as rumour became a reality ,CON-PECULAR for the management staff and minimum wage for legislative aides were all cleared to the surprise of all.
PEOPLES DAILY newspapers gatherers from a reliable authority , that this same CNA has concluded the process of payment of severance packages for lawmakers of the 9th National Assembly and there legislative aides in a few weeks from now and, should this happens, he would have set yet another record for himself.
it was equally gathered that the CNA is also offsetting the 2019 salary arrears for legislative aides of the 9th Assembly. That too will be breathtaking .
While all the outstanding are steadily being cleared ,it is important to note that payment of severance had always been a matter that required sustained protests by surviving legislative aides for months before payments were made. To think of clearing this in less than six months after the expiration of a previous Assembly stands him out as somebody who is determined to dismantle a needless distraction.
As a seasoned civil servant with deep knowledge of budgeting, the new CNA pays great attention to judicious application and adherence to financial due processes.
His detest for materialistic ventures clearly itches him closer to history on a daily basis so much that even his detractors admire his simple life style .
Tambawal will leave indelible marks on sands of time no-doubt for impeaching the hydra headed alleged financial sleaze and malfeasance that have marked out the institution of the National Assembly as dubious.
The frequency of staff training in the National Assembly is top-notch and the output remarkable.
There is value for the funds expended on those refresher programmes for staff who provide various specialized services in the National Assembly.
Just recently ,precisely Monday this week, the staff of the National Assembly through PASAN took delivery of 8 coaster buses to mitigate the impact of the economic hardship following the removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria.
This too, under the new CNA was a demonstration of his desire to provide a conducive environment for staff who are the engine room of the National Assembly for effective discharge of there duties.
There is tremendous improvement of security within precincts of the parliament .
Monies have invested into the National Assembly Clinic with the view to pull a state of the art facilities to take care of health related issues which is a complete departure from the past .
His ability to resist the temptation of fisting on funds meant for development and welfare of staff which many have attested to, shows he is a man of honour and a leader per excellence.
But that is Sani Magaji Tambawal, what is now left is for the CNA to groom all Directors and Secretaries in the line of succession who would strive to surpass his achievements when retirement calls, in other words, the CNA must begin to instill exceptional leadership qualities worthy of emulation into his possible successors.
Those with materialistic mentality should be made to understand that selfless service pays and there is life after service.
They must undergo trainings that will expose them to the gains of integrity and honour after service and that service must be to the people not self.
