Saraki orders staff audit in National Assembly

SENATE President Bukola Saraki, who is also the Chairman of the National Assembly, has directed management of the assembly to carry out a comprehensive human resource audit of the staff in the
legislature.
Saraki, in a memo forwarded by his Chief of Staff, Senator Isa Galaudu, and which was submitted to the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNNA), Mohammed Sani-Omolori, stated that the decision was aimed at “verifying the skills, efficiency and motivation of the employees of the National Assembly.”
In a letter titled “Carrying out a comprehensive human resource audit in the National Assembly” and dated December 16, 2016, the Senate President asked the management to ensure improved efficiency in legislative service through the staff audit.
The letter read: “We have made commendable strides in our continuous endeavour to attain the goals set out in the legislative agenda of the 8th National Assembly. We however must continue to deploy clear strategies that meet the challenges facing this institution and capitalise on the strengths that we possess.
“Even the best strategy will ultimately fail without the right people in the right places to execute it. Thus, it has become apparent that at this juncture one of the true challenges of the National Assembly is human capital.
“I hereby convey the decision of the President of the Senate that you carry out comprehensive human resource audit. You should kindly therefore engage the services of a reputable consulting firm with adequate human resources expertise to carry out a complete review and produce a report verifying the skills, efficiency and motivation of the employees of the National Assembly.
“Expected outcome of this engagement is a detailed assessment of the nominal roll, succession plan and furthermore, to identify possible vacancies, duplications, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities,
limitations, and developmental needs of the existing organizational structure of the National Assembly.
“The President of the Senate expects the assessment to be completed within 90 days and progress reports be submitted regularly until completion.”
In his response dated January 3, 2017, the Clerk to the National Assembly acknowledged the concern of the Saraki for efficiency in the legislature, adding that the management had set up a committee alongside a “tested and trusted” consultant for the audit.
According to him, the committee has been inaugurated with the terms of reference including to verify and ascertain the actual staff strength of the National Assembly; determine the current structure and distribution of staff in terms of cadre, spread, etc; to establish skill gaps or excess capacity (if any) within the workforce; determine the structure and distribution of staff required for an ideal legislative management system, align it with the current staff status of the National Assembly and  determine an accurate personnel cost thereof; and recommend all such other actions as it deems necessary to ensure an efficient and highly motivated workforce.
He added that the consultant and the management have agreed that a final report would be turned in by the end of the first quarter of 2017.