News Investigators/ The Clerk of the Abia House of Assembly, Johnpedro Irokansi, has urged staff members to pray to God for the implementation of the assembly’s financial autonomy.
Mr Irokansi spoke at the send off party, organised at the assembly complex in Umuahia, in honour of the assembly’s retirees.
He commended Gov. Alex Otti for the inauguration of Abia State House of Assembly Service Commission, saying that with that in place, there was hope for the people.
He urged the workers and retirees of the assembly to exercise patience with the commission, “but pray fervently for the implementation of the financial autonomy”.
According to him, if we eventually get this autonomy everyone of us here will be happy and proud of working in this place.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the signing of the fourth alteration bill by late President Muhammadu Buhari conferred financial autonomy to state Assemblies as mandated by Section 121 of the 1999 Constitution.
The autonomy allows the state legislatures to operate independently, making decisions without executive interference, but its implementation by the governors has remained a challenge.
Mr Irokansi commended the retirees for their dedication and selfless service to the institution, and advised them to be prudent with their retirement benefits.
In a speech, the commission’s Chairman, Mr Uchechukwu Maduako, represented by Commissioner 1, Mrs Grace Ibe, thanked the clerk for his positive contributions to the assembly.
“Without the clerk, I wonder how this place will look like, but with his presence in this premises, everything is moving correctly,”
Maduako said.
He expressed gratitude to the parliamentary staff for their “unwaivering commitment and invaluable contributions” and the retirees “for your years of expertise and dedication”.
He expressed gratitude to the parliamentary staff for their unwaivering commitment and invaluable contributions.
He also commended the retirees for their expertise and many year’s of dedicated service to the assembly and the state.
The state Chairman, Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, Mr Sunday Kalu, said the group, in collaboration with the clerk, management and welfare, decided to organise a befitting send off ceremony for the retirees.
Kalu said that the ceremony was in honour of his 24 members, who retired between June 1, 2023 and July 31.
“I’m glad and fulfilled to see most of our former colleagues here smiling and healthy,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the other retirees, Mr Alili Onyemaechi, who retired as a Deputy Clerk, expressed gratitude to the organisers for the honour.
NAN reports that the retirees were later presented with cash and a variety of mementos.
NAN