Ahead of fresh election for the executives of the National Assembly Legislative Aides Forum (NASSLAF), aspirations to that effect are being expressed by aides to some of the serving federal lawmakers.
One of the interested legislative aide eying the chairmanship position of the body is the senior legislative aide to Senator Theodore Orji (PDP Abia Central), Barrister Emeka Nwala.
Nwala at a press briefing Wednesday, held at the premises of the National Assembly, described aides of lawmakers as their engine room that drives their robust legislative activities.
He said in repositioning the entire membership of NASSLAF under his leadership for better performance, it will collaborate with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), for capacity building trainings from time to time.
“We shall also interface with management to ensure that the welfare of aides as well as their trainings, are given priority attention,” he said.
He recalled how the forum overcame its teething problems in the 6th National Assembly, but deteriorated in the 7th and 8th assembly to the extent that allowances of aides became a non issue.
“The need to place all members of NASSLAF under one umbrella has long been canvassed and encapsulated in a formal body which kick started and achieved a lot of grounds in the 6th National Assembly.
“We in the executive rallied the support of all members within NASS complex and at the constituencies to present cohesive and logical request to NASS management for consideration and implementation, resulting in what members enjoyed in the 6th and part of 7th Assembly,” he stated.
He decried delayed salaries and allowances of aides, saying it was affecting their productivity, but commended the present leadership for their intervention in payment of severance packages of the 8th National Assembly legislative aides.
