Tracking strides of NASS Commission leadership

TRUE merit is like steel and not like cotton, it seems small from outside but weighs heavily inside. So says Amit Kalantri. With a harvest of meritorious service to Nigeria and humanity, Ahmed Kadi Amshi’s record so far has been quite remarkable. The above fact came to the fore when he marked his 67th birthday on May 9, 2021. Indeed, that historic occasion genuinely showed that Amshi not only as a disciple of proactive and creative leadership, but also as a classic bureaucrat who is imbued with great credentials for public service. The man who used the policy of isolationism to keep the United States of America out of the First World War, ex-President Woodrow Wilson, seemed to have had the likes of Amshi in mind when he articulated the famous words: “ You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.”

In  most of his activities following public appointments so far so far, Amshi has displayed great vision and a spirit of hope.  He has enriched the public world with uncommon sagacity. It is, in my view, a step in the right direction to celebrate a  rare exemplar of administrative competence; a man who has established legacies of public approval and appreciation. This professional engineer per excellence was born on May 9th,1954, in Jakusko Local Government Area of Yobe. State. He had a flourishing career in the civil service from 1983 to 2015, when he retired with distinctions. Though retired, he was never tired. Amshi delved into private consultancy activities, where his genius in human and administrative management became evidentially clear. His dazzling credentials soon came to the notice of Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan, then Leader of the Senate in the 8th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where he was appointed Chief of Staff (COS). As Chief of Staff to Senator Lawan, Amshi combined professional mastery of duties with a great grasp of administrative skills, which dazzled the then Senate Leader. This apparently contributed to the enviable political status of the current Senate President.

When in February 2020, the fifth National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), welcomed Amshi as its executive chairman, those who wildly celebrated his emergence knew about his profile as an unusual administrative titan. With about a year now in the saddle at the National Assembly Service Commission, it is very clear that the organisation is blessed. The success story recorded so far under Amshi’s watch bears documentation. Since the birth of the National Assembly Service Commission, no one had initiated the building of a permanent structure for the outfit. That was to change with his arrival. Today, the permanent site is being developed, which will go a long way in curbing wastages and giving the much needed convenience to staff of the commission.

The civil service rules are being followed to the letter, a development that has rubbed positively on the staff in the area of timely promotion and elevation. Staff welfare and motivation is a critical agenda, and necessary working tools are being provided, together with staff development via training and re-traning. The chairman is at the vanguard of the fight for the establishment of States Assembly Service Commission. This is with a view to ultimately securing financial and administrative autonomy for the various assemblies across the nation. His determination to leave a great legacy within the National Assembly Service Commission, and in the National Assembly as a whole, has been demonstrated through the pursuit of staff welfare, fiscal discipline and accountability It is clear beyond any iota of doubt that Amshi has established himself as an architect of a revitalized commission for the nation’s highest legislative body. I hereby wish this unique man, who is a mentor and a good friend to humanity, God’s continuous protection and good health, as he continues to pilot the affairs of the commission vigorously to greater heights. Who says the meritorious card is not decorated with selfless service and compassionate leadership? This is applauding the greatness of an administrator whose methods are realistic, whose direction is known, and whose purpose is clear.

• Austen is Special Adviser (Media and Labour) to the Clerk to the National Assembly

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