Wale Jagun
-As Benson, Faleke retain defense, finance committees
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has inaugurated 134 standing committees for the 10th Assembly.
Abbas, with these appointments increased the number of the standing committees by 25.
The speaker made the announcement of the Committee chairmen also named their deputies at plenary on Thursday
The former chairman of Appropriation, Hon Aliyu Betara, was appointed as the Chairman FCT; former Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ahmed Wase got the Chairman Committee on Federal Character and former Majority Leader, Hon. Ado Doguwa was appointed to lead Petroleum (Upstream) as its Chairman.
Hon. James Faleke, retained the Chairmanship of the Finance Committee, while Hon. Babajimi Benson, also reappointed as the Chairman, Committee on Defence. Others that retained the committees from the 9th Assembly are Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, Chairman Committee on Navy and Hon. Leke Abejide, Chairman Committee on Customs Services.
The Speaker also appointed Hon. Bamidele Salam as Chairman Committee on Public Account; Hon. Vigor Nwokolo, Chairman Committee on Power; Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, Chairman Foreign Affairs; and Hon. Mike Etaba, Chairman Committee on Public Petition.
Hon. Abubakar Bicchi was named Chairman, Committee on Appropriation; Hon. Amos Daniel, Chairman, Committee on House Services; Hon. Akin Alani, Chairman Committee on Works; Hon. David Zacharia, Chairman Committee on FCT-Judiciary.
Some of the new committees are, Committee on Islamic Pilgrimage Affairs, Committee on Christian Pilgrimage Affairs, Committee on Civil Societies and Development Matters and Committee on Lake Chad.
Others are Committee on Constituency Outreach, Committee on Federal Polytechnics, Committee on Basic Examination Boards, Committee on Legislative Budget and Research. Committee on Industry, Committee on Public Service Matters, Committee on Science Research Institutions, Committee on Public Asset, Committee on Shipping Services.
The speaker, after constituting the committees, charged that:
“Committee chairmen must ensure that there are functional secretariats for their respective committees. This is very crucial as the House is redefining legislative work at the Committees. All Committees are now required to submit regular reports of their activities to the leadership of the House on a quarterly basis. Investigative hearings, public hearings and reports from oversight functions have to be submitted to the House in plenary for further legislative action”
“Accordingly, the committees should draw up their work plans and submit the same to the leadership of the house. Our responsibilities as lawmakers require diligence, probity, transparency, dedication and commitment to national interest. I therefore, charge you to be guided by these principles even as we embark on the oversight of other arms of government”
The House adjourned plenary for its six weeks annual recess, to resume by September.
