Excitement in NASS as Acting CNA moves to pay staff members’ N3.7bn CON-PECULIAR and other outstanding entitlements

Acting Clerk to the National Assembly, CNA, Mr Sani Magaji Tambuwal is causing a huge excitement among the staff members as he has reportedly perfected plans to pay the outstanding N3.7 billion owed by the previous management for staff members’ CON-PECULIAR and outstanding welfare packages/entitlements.

THE CONCLAVE reports that CON-PECULIAR is a special payment package (incentive) to staff of the national assembly, because of their unique kind of service and is contained in their condition of service document.

THE CONCLAVE learnt that the Acting CNA’s move was hinged on the plan to return to the National Assembly management a princely N7 billion being unspent contingency fund by the management in the 2022 budget.

The management, according to reports, had declared the unspent fund, which was returned to the treasury and receipted at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

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But ahead of the return of the fund to NASS management, there are reports doing the rounds in the administrative wing of the National Assembly that the outgoing CNA, Architect Amos Ojo, is piling pressure on the acting CNA to divert the money for other selfish purposes.

The good news, according to reports, is that the Acting CNA staved off the pressure and insisted on channeling the money to the payment of the staff members’ outstanding entitlements.

THE CONCLAVE learnt that during a meeting convened at the instance of the presiding officers of the National Assembly and the out-going CNA, Architect Ojo, all entreaties to cajole the Acting CNA to make the money available for other purposes failed.

It was also gathered that the Acting CNA argued at the meeting that the N7 billion had, on principle, been earmarked for payment of the CON-PECULIAR and other outstanding staff members’ entitlements, totaling about N3.7b.

THE CONCLAVE learnt that the presiding officers did not buy into the acting CNA’s proposal, but, according to a source close to the development, he (the acting CNA) insisted on going ahead with his original plan to spend N3.7 billion out of N7 billion to pay up the outstanding workers’ entitlements.

The acting CNA, according to the source, was disposed to other projects and programmes on which the presiding officers and the management may plan or agree to spend the remaining N3.3 billion

Some staff members who spoke with THE CONCLAVE could not hide their excitement about the plan by the acting CNA to pay staff members outstanding entitlements, which had been at the root of the series of strikes and shut downs embarked upon by Parliamentary Association of Nigeria (PASAN) under the leadership of the outgoing CNA, Architect Ojo, who bows out on February 14.

One of the staff members said: “This is a cheering development to all staff members. We will continue to support and pray for our Acting CNA, Sani Magaji Tambuwal, for God’s perfect wisdom and courage, to reform the system, do the right things and boost the morale of staff members.

“He has started well, shown commitment so far, and desire to meet staff memebers’ welfare and benefits. May the Almighty God frustrate the plans of the wicked ones over his life. On the Acting CNA, Sani Magaji Tambuwal, we stand. And, now more than ever before, we know who our enemies are.”