Select N’Assembly Staff to Work 2 Days Weekly, Says Clerk

The management of the National Assembly has foreclosed the possibility of all Assembly workers resuming duties next week, saying only selected staff would be allowed to work for two days every week.

The Clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, in a three-page circular entitled ‘Partial Resumption Of Selected Staff On Essential Legislative Duties’ dated Friday, May 1, and addressed to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives, stressed that since the two chambers of the Assembly would henceforth sit on Tuesdays only all essential staff of the two Chambers already identified and cleared, shall come to work on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The Clerk also asked legislative aides to work from home while banks and restaurants operating within the Assembly complex were to remain closed until further notice.

Sani-Omolori further constituted a three-man committee made up of the Secretary, Human Resources and Staff Development; Director, Public Affairs and Sergeant-At-Arms for the purpose of clearing and facilitating the outlined measures and guidelines.

The circular stated inter alia:

“In furtherance of the Federal Government’s decision to ease the lockdown from Monday 4th May 2020, the following guidelines for partial and gradual resumption of selected staff on essential legislative duties are hereby put in place as follows: Clerks to the two Chambers and Secretaries of the Directorates are to come to work on all office days commencing from Monday, 4th May 2020.

“Since the Chambers will sit on Tuesdays only, all essential staff of the two Chambers already identified and cleared, shall come to work on Mondays and Tuesdays only.

All National Assembly Directors and Committee Clerks are to come to work on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays only.

All Legislative Aides shall continue to work from home:

“Clerks and Secretaries to Directorates will continue to identify on need basis, staff required for specific assignments from time to time and forward the list to the Committee constituted in paragraph ix;

All banks, restaurants and other business outfits within the National Assembly complex shall remain closed:

“For the duration of this period, only the Main Gate shall be operational for staff. However, the Presidential gate shall be available for Legislators on Tuesdays;

The Secretary, Health Services and Secretary, Procurement, Estate and Works are to provide hand Sanitisers and all necessary protective Gears at all strategic points.

“For the purpose of clearing and facilitating these measures and guidelines (a three-man committee comprising the Secretary, Human Resources and Staff Development, Director, Pumic Affairs and, Sergeant-At-Arms is hereby constituted:

The working hours throughout this period shall be from 9.000am to 2.00pm;

“ln the meantime, all staff on duty should observe social distancing and other NCDC’s directives in addition to remaining in their offices while maximising the use of intercom, telephone and ICT platforms for communication:

“All legislators and staff are requested to maintain personal hygiene and to report suspicious cases or symptoms of Covid-l9 to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on 0800 970 000-10

The helpline for emergency contacts on 0805 558 8663 already established by the Secretary, Health Services Directorate National Assembly remains operational.”