Cost of running National Assembly balloons as over 2,500 aides look set to be appointed

FEARS are growing that the 10th National Assembly may end up having more than 2,563 legislative aides as the current crop of leaders including senate president Godswill Akpabio and House of Reps speaker Tajudeen Abbas are appointing many assistants.

Nigeria's senate is made up of 109 members while the House of Representatives has 360 members. Since 1999, the outrageous number of appointees by the 469 members of the National Assembly has been an issue of concern, especially given what it costs taxpayers to maintain them.

At a time like this when the nation battles dwindling oil prices, inflating running at 22.4%, decreased foreign direct investment, acute unemployment and huge debts, the cost of governance is set to become an issue. Nigerian laws allows each of the lawmakers, excluding principal officers, to appoint five aides, comprising one senior legislative aide, two legislative aides, a personal assistant and a secretary.

Meanwhile, the senate president is entitled to 45 appointees, the deputy senate president 30, the House speaker 33, the deputy speaker 15 and other principal officers, 10 each. The Senate and House of Representatives have eight principal officers each, making 16 for both chambers.

These officers are majority leader, deputy majority leader, chief whip, deputy chief whip, minority leader, deputy minority leader, minority whip and deputy minority whip. A breakdown shows that 451 members, excluding two presiding officers and 16 principal officers of both the upper and lower legislative houses, would have no fewer than 2, 255 aides by the time they conclude their appointments.

Since their inauguration on June 10, 2023, legislators have been appointing aides, with the Hon Tajudeen Abbas, leading so far with 33 appointees. He had earlier appointed Musa Abdullahi Krishi as his special adviser on media and publicity and Dr Jerry Uhuo as his special adviser on policy and strategy, bringing the total to 35.

Senior legislative aides are placed between salary grade levels14 and 16, while legislative aides are on grades 10 to12. Secretaries are on levels seven to eight, while personal assistants are on level eight and legislative assistants are on level nine.