Abbas Seeks Lawmakers’ Inclusion in NIPSS Training

Assures NASS staff of better welfare

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Abbas Tajudeen has called for the inclusion of members of the National Assembly in the training programmes at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).

According to his statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Musa Abdullahi Krishi Abbas, when the management of NIPSS, researchers and partners paid him a courtesy call in office on Tuesday stated that programmes offered by NIPSS should not be limited to only officials in the Executive arm of the government.

In another development, Tajudeen assured staff of the National Assembly under the umbrella of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) of better welfare under the current leadership of the national parliament.

A related statement issued by Abdullahi Krishi, the Speaker, who received the leadership of PASAN led by the National President Comrade Muhammad Usman and the NASS chapter chairman, Comrade Sunday Sabiyi, on a thank you visit at his office on Tuesday, said the welfare of staff of the National Assembly remains paramount to the leadership.

NIPPS, located in Kuru, Jos, Plateau State, founded in 1979, is Nigeria’s think-tank and policy research institution, which has bureaucrats, private sector leaders, military officers, and medium-rank and senior civil servants in its alumni.

The Speaker said: “I want to request the DG to look at the National Assembly in your subsequent admissions because, with the kind of things that I saw for myself when I went to the (Presidential) Villa, I am sure that the National Assembly can also benefit a lot from NIPSS. I would want to see a situation where every year, an allocation of one or two slots would be made available to the National Assembly, to send its people to learn and share experiences"

“Experiences are not limited to the Executive; even the Legislature has a lot to share. By the time you blend the two – what the people from the Executive know and what the Legislators also know – I am sure that your subsequent programmes will be enriched. Please, take note of that."

Abbas, while noting that the NIPSS was visiting his office for the first time since he came on board in June 2023, commended the institute for doing a good job.

Further according to him, “I want to also commend you and the Institute for all the good jobs you have been doing. We are indeed very proud of you. In your last visit to Mr. President, I had the privilege of being there and I listened to your presentation.

“It is one of the best that I have ever heard from any academic institution. It was well-packed; it was well articulated and the message resonated well. I want to appeal to you to please continue to keep the flag flying. It is truly an institution that is giving a lot of inspiration and guidance to the government of this country.”

He also commended NIPSS for the official launch of its ‘Regional Citizenship Dialogue Programme for the Prevention and Response to the Unconstitutional Change of Governments in West Africa’ at a time when West Africa was particularly “in a state of turmoil.” He said: “What is happening to our dear sub-continent is really, very tragic."

The Speaker asked the DG of NIPSS to communicate the issues affecting the Institute to the House through the committee that oversights it. He assured the management of the willingness of the House to effect the proposed amendments to the NIPSS Act.

The Director-General of the institute, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, who led the delegation, in his remark, said the institute would like to acquire adjourning lands to its premises located at Kuru, Jos, to further secure the place.

Omotayo urged the House to intervene on that and other issues, especially with budgetary allocation to acquire land around the Institute for better security. This, he noted, was based on security advice obtained by the Institute.

The NIPSS DG also decried poor remuneration of workers, especially the academic staff, researchers and other experts.

He called on the House to revisit a bill seeking to amend the NIPSS Act, which he said was last amended in 2004. This he said, was in “pursuance of our mandate to ensure that we get Nigeria to a level where we can be proud of it."

On the NASS staff visit, Abbas stated that while Nigerians have legitimate reasons to express sadness, the current administration requires some level of patience and time to implement initiatives and programmes aimed at improving the standard of living of the citizens.

He also urged the PASAN leadership to be a bridge of conciliation between the National Assembly leadership and organised labour by conveying his message of hope and assurances on behalf of the president to the workers, adding that a positive change is closer to them than ever.

His words: "My appeal to you as the National President of PASAN is to please help to tell your other colleagues in the labour leadership to please give this government a little more time. There are so many things that are under consideration, things that the government is trying to come up with for the benefit of Nigerians. So, please help us to tell them to exercise patience that something very good will come out very soon."

"I know of a lot of palliatives, reviews of salaries and welfare packages that are most likely coming on board in the near future. Please, communicate to them that we know their pains and their problems and we will not let them down. They should give us more time."

The Speaker commended the PASAN leadership for coming to show gratitude for his recent interventions, which they reported have yielded positive outcomes in terms of improved welfare packages for National Assembly staff and payment of pending allowances by the new management.

Noted Tajudeen: "I'm really delighted to receive you again for the second time. I remember a few months ago, we had cause to meet where you presented a lot of issues bordering on the association. To God be the glory, you have acknowledged that the issues have been handled as requested.

"The only thing that's outstanding is your arrears, which was tied down to the refusal of the Salaries and Wages Commission to do what they ought to have done. We invited them here in the National Assembly to discuss that issue. The chairman promised that he would get back to us with a solution to that issue. I'm surprised that up till now he hasn't. I want to assure you that we will send and ask him to come back and tell us what's really happening.

"One way or the other, we will not allow that entitlement of yours to go in vain. We will get that money paid to you within this year." Continues online