CNA KAMORU OGUNLANA: A LEADER WITH DIFFERENCE/REFORMS

By Moses Agbe (NASS), Abuja.

The Clerk to National Assembly ( CNA) , Mr Kamoru Ogunlana is the current Clerk to the 10th National Assembly who is demonstrating quality Leadership with capacity, capability and competency as been envisaged in his reforms which are geared towards elevating and placing Nigerian Federal Parliament in her right position as the giant of African democracies and by extension, even the world over.

Before I take you deep into the great works and reforms of this amiable Leader, an outstanding personality of repute in our era; a distinguished Leader/ seasoned Technocrat that many prefer to call him a digital CNA who is rebranding an administrative structure that Will anchor a robust parliamentary platform to provide synergy for smooth and easy actualisation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s RENEWED HOPE AGENDA for Nigerians.

It is important to note here that all his reforms that I will soon usher you into usually wear a human face. Quickly, and most importantly, let me shock you that, all these reforms, transformation or call it accomplishments, if you like ;that I will soon be navigating you through are achived by the great Leader, Barr.KAMORU Ogunlana in just few days in office as the substantive Clerk to the 10th National Assembly. It’s worthy of note too here that the renown Clerk, Barr Kamoru Ogunlana is currently rated to be the most celebrated Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA) by both parliamentarians, management staff and Legislative aAides in the history of the National Assembly CNAs to have achieved so much in few months in office.

It may also interest you to know that, our able and amiable CNA, Barr.Kamoru Ogunlana is a legal luminary who has a bureaucratic background that is versatile in parliamentary administration that spanned for decades.

A peep into the bureaucratic trajectory of this performing digital CNA, Barr. Kamoru Ogunlana has revealed that he was appointed as Clerk to the National Assembly on 6th November, 2024 but the appointment which was signed by the executive Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), Engr. Ahmed Kadi Amshi directing him to take over from his predecessor, Alhaji Sani Magaji Tambuwal as CNA on 2nd February, 2025, following the retirement of his predecessor from active service.

Barely few months in office after he was formally appointed by National Assembly Service Commission, as approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he has embarked on series of positive reforms to enhance effective management and delivery of parliamentary services and goals, taking into cognizance of his consciousness as he considers National Assembly as the hub and vehicle of delivery of dividends of democracy. The CNA has first and foremost, as part of his reforms, restored dignity in labour by promoting massively , management staff who are due and most senior staff today have been promoted and appointed clerks to one standing committee or the other in both Senate and house of representatives.

Secondly, the hard working CNA, Kamoru Ogunlana has organized a series of ongoing capacity building trainings both for management staff, Legislative aAides, and parliamentarians to promote efficiency in parliamentary services in all strata of the system.

Another giant milestone accomplished by the performing CNA Kamolu Ogunlana, is bridging the salaries payment gap between management Staff and Legislative aAides,: which in the past administrations of CNAs before him, salaries were paid to management staff as from 23rd of each month while Legislative aAides were left to suffer without any payment till 15th of next month, when the parliament might have collected allocation for salaries for all categories of staff. But immediately the digital and amiable CNA Kamoru Ogunlana, who is a leader with a human heart, assumed office, he abolished that inhuman policy; stopping all forms of discriminatory payments /tendencies in the peoples National Assembly. Hence forth,all categories of staff enjoy an equal date in payment of salaries . and he has directed that even if salary allocation for national Assembly is yet to come, the DFS should source money that will cover payment of salaries for both management staff and Legislative Aides at the same time which his leadership is highly appreciated, commended, and celebrated by Legislative aides, their families and their principals.

As if that is all, CNA Kamolu Ogunlana is pushing hard for the realization of the national Assembly dream of bringing most of the scattered offices and departments to one roof, which is the national Assembly Complex; that is why if you enter national Assembly premises now, you will notice that a gigantic edifice to house national Assembly Service Commission is ongoing, alongside the national Assembly hospital. courtesy, the able leadership of the proactive CNA, Barr. Kamoru Ogunlana.Notwithstanding, the amiable CNA Kamolu Ogunola, is using his administrative and leadership acumen to put in place effective administrative measures and capability that is managing efficiently, both 109 Senators and 360 members of the house of representatives with their staff.

Also, worthy of note about this amazing CNA is that, in just few months in office, he has been able to muster administrative courage to successfully host Mr President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his large entourage from the executive arm which normally includes the judiciary and part of the private sector in national Assembly creditably well during this year’s democracy day which was celebrated on June 12th . kudos to the vibrant CNA, Kamolu Ogunola, the Ogun born lawyer who spent most of his legal career in the parliamentary practice, management and arbitration.

The reforms crusader, CNA Kamolu Ogunola has put in place bureaucratic measures that will ensure speedy transmission of bills passed by both chambers, viz the green and red chambers to Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the Villa. My audience ,Join me to put a round of applause for this wonderful workaholic, competent amazing capability capacity, resilience, tenacity and proactive LEADER of our time., CNA Kamoru Ogunlana .

This piece will not be complete if I fail to intimate you on the wonderful work the Legal Luminary Cum Technocrat is doing in the area of reforming the national Assembly pension Act of 2023 to be more effective from its moribound status at the moment. The management through the captains ship of the able, digital CNA, Kamoru is pushing through a management bill for recommendations for some amendments that are hindering effective implementation of the 2023 Pension Act. In one of the public hearings organized by the House of representatives. The CNA, Barr. Kamoru Ogunlana, speaking through his DCNA, Engr. Bashir Yero raised a number of recommendations that are needing to make the 2023 Act implementation which the house agrees to liaise with the management of the CNA for the passage of the amendments. According to the digital CNA to the 10th National Assembly.if these amendments are passed into law, the delay in pension of National Assembly staff will be fast tracked, thereby reducing the untold hardship this bill has unleashed on retirees of national Assembly management staff. kudos to the amiable Progressive CNA.

Most importantly too, the current CNA is pushing for a reform in the maintenance sector/department. Recently the CNA through his management team is pushing for a bill to establish an agency owned and controlled by National Assembly management for effective maintenance of its offices and equipment/ facilities instead of the old order of contracting them to the private companies and contractors at exorbitant fees, kudos to a bureaucratic Icon, CNA, Kamoru Ogunlana for using his vast experience in the parliament bureacy to bear in steering the system, National Assembly effectively. The seasoned Technocrat in parliamentary management / legal practice is making his kinsmen from Ogun state and admirers/ Nigerians who believe in quality Leadership and productivity proud. A bill which he represented the management team himself at a public hearing for the bill in house of representatives recently and spoke exhaustively in favour of the bill, demonstrating his humility and commitment to service of the national Assembly. The bill was supported by critical stake holders in the industry. My audience will agree with me that I am not just praise singing the CNA, who is an awaiting Parliamentary Senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Barr. Kamoru Ogunlana, which the management of the national Assembly will soon be proud to produce which he will certainly make his mark on the sands of history , as the first CNA to be crowned SAN. I am not a prophet, but a peep into his track record of achievements, and service,you don’t need a soothsayer to tell you. moreover, the executive Chairman of National Assembly service commission stated it clearly that his appointment as Clerk to National Assembly is based on his hard work, and administrative competence, so you don’t expect less of that from him. So, what it portends is that, before the most competence, most experienced, most vibrant, most courageous, most mentally equipped for the job, covers one year in office as CNA, he will surpass the ac the record of his predecessors put together,and will lift National Assembly to an enviable height that it will be standing too tall in the commity of world parliaments, where African democracies and the world over will be rushing for training, parliamentary tourism and consultancy. Interestingly, apart from the few leadership qualities of the Ogun born CNA, he is a great team player, he carries his Staff along. He is a humane leader, not a dictator, he runs an open door policy, if you come to his office, he is accessible, amiable transparent and Above all he is a media friendly CNA. I know him right when he was a DCNA, a great listener and caring; he believes in touching lives and you can take his words to the bank; his yes is yes.My audience, space cannot allow me to enumerate all the qualities of this capacity CNA. The 10th National Assembly is blessed to have him as our CNA. All I can ask of you is your prayers for him for good health, long life and more grace to finish his tenure triumphantly. long live the digital CNA, long live National Assembly, long live Nigeria.