The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas has made some new appointments in his office.
The Speaker had appointed two aides a few days after being sworn into office.
Musa Abdullahi Krishi was named Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, while Dr Jerry Uhuo was appointed the Special Adviser on Policy and Strategy.
The new appointments come at a time governance experts have been calling for public officeholders to reduce their number of aides.
But, Speaker Abbas says the appointments are for the effective delivery of his legislative agenda for the 10th House of Representatives.
He advised the new political appointees to discharge their duties in compliance with the new Schedule of Duties in the Office of the Speaker.
He also said the new appointments take immediate effect.
Some Nigerians have queried the rationale behind such appointments at a time when the government is supposed to cut costs.
Bami Bowale, a biochemist, wrote:
“What sort of nonsense is this? When we are supposed to cut the cost of governance????”
Kabbo wrote:
“How do we reduce the cost of government if the Speaker is going to have 34 SAs? These people will be taken away from their primary means of livelihood to take up the appointment and must be paid. The President, that needs more advisers, only requested 20; why 34 for Speaker?”
Solomon Adinebo wrote:
“This is still a little too much. We are in an austere period, and government functionalities should reflect the same.”
Olu Odusanya wrote:
“We understand that he can not do all the job by himself, but the constitution needs to be checked if it allows all these aides 30 in number for what?
“While we are saying the cost is high, how to reduce the overhead cost, some opportunists are just increasing the cost every day.”
Adebayo Sorinmade wrote:
”We need to reduce the cost of governance; this seems the complete opposite.”
Akanbi Olaosebikan queried:
“33 aides? Are there no civil servants that can handle all of these functions?”
Garuba Oluwatoyin wrote:
“If public officers are still this much in a poor country (underdeveloped) Nigeria, then we shouldn’t question the poor ratings.”
Ajadi Sodiq Odunayo wrote:
“While the masses are to endure inflation and high cost of living, but our politicians can’t manage resources.”
