A bill that would allow the National Security Adviser (NSA) to recruit permanent staff for his office with the approval of the president failed to pass second reading at the Senate at plenary on Thursday.
Senator Buba, Umar Shehu (Bauchi South) sponsored a Bill for an Act to provide a legal framework for the NSA to appoint permanent staff for his office instead of using “casual workers”.
Shehu said the use of permanent staff in the office of the NSA will “enhance institutional memory and effective performance of the responsibilities of the National Security Adviser”.
Supporting the bill, Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West) said the office of the NSA is very important and a situation where you allow use of casual staff is not good enough.
According to him, the bill is asking for the NSA to be allowed to appoint his own staff with the approval of the president.
Senator Joel Onowakpo (Delta South) said the NSA’s office should not rely on contract staff for information gathering and intelligence for the country.
Other senators who spoke in favour of the bill include Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) and Yohana Amos (Adamawa North). They were of the view that the word was changing and national security is becoming more complex requiring more dedicated workers in the security sector since everyone needs security.
However, the bill was given a mortal blow when the Senate President Godswill Akpabio asked if anyone was opposed to the bill to which Senator Seriake Dickson responded in the affirmative.
Dickson explained to his colleagues that “the current situation is that the NSA is the national security coordinator where officers from the various services are seconded”.
He said in the office you have all the apparatus of our national are represented, advising that they should not , in the process of trying to strengthen the office “create another problem”.
Therefore, he moved a motion that the bill be stepped down to create room for further consultations, adding the NSA has the power to hire anyone for consultation.
The motion was seconded by Senator Enyinaya Abaribe who said the impression given that the workers are temporary staff is not so, adding that “they are personnel of the various services – Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, DSS, etc”.
When the Senate President put it to voice vote that those in support of the motion that the bill be stepped down, it was a loud “aye”.
