The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, has disclosed that more than 14,000 workers are employed by the federal parliament, apart from the 469 lawmakers and their visitors who regularly access the complex.

Ogunlana made the disclosure on Tuesday during the final stage of a capacity-building programme organised for legislative aides serving in the 10th National Assembly.

He described the Nigerian parliament as one of the busiest in the world, noting that the large workforce, combined with the number of lawmakers and daily visitors, makes the administrative responsibilities of the clerk particularly demanding.

The clerk also revealed that the two chambers of the 10th National Assembly had passed about 3,500 bills over the past three years.

He explained that the Senate accounted for 1,500 of the bills, while the House of Representatives passed 2,000.

According to him, the high volume of legislative activities demonstrates the need for a strong and efficient support system capable of assisting lawmakers in carrying out their responsibilities effectively.

Ogunlana also renewed his call for the introduction of a special salary structure for legislative aides, describing them as an important part of the legislative process.

He appealed to the National Assembly Service Commission and the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission to resolve issues concerning the remuneration and working conditions of legislative aides.

The clerk explained that while the National Assembly Service Commission handles the appointment and administration of legislative aides, their salaries and conditions of service operate within a framework developed or approved by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and subsequently approved by the National Assembly.

He noted that legislative aides are appointed on a temporary and non-pensionable basis, but questioned whether their duties should be treated as full-time or part-time responsibilities.

Ogunlana said reforms in the system should focus on improving the welfare of legislative aides and enhancing their ability to provide effective support to lawmakers.

He stressed that any reform introduced should ultimately lead to the development of a professional legislative support system capable of attracting and retaining highly qualified personnel with strong ethical standards.