One of the
identified problems of investigative hearings and oversight of the executive
arm is the multiplicity of committees with overlapping jurisdiction on the same
subject matter. This has led to a situation where more than one committee is
handling the same subject matter. Invitations are sent to the same officials of
government by different committees on the same subject,” says Yakubu Dogara,
the Speaker of the House of Representatives, while presenting the 8th House
legislative agenda.
Dogara has reversed
this statement and has gone ahead to increase the committees in the House of
Rep from 84 to 95.
this statement and has gone ahead to increase the committees in the House of
Rep from 84 to 95.
In other words, the
Dogara- led House has told Nigerians that their clamour for the government to
curb corruption and slash the cost of governance will continue to be a pipe
dream. And they are also letting us know in very clear terms that as far as the
overpaid national assembly members are concerned, it is all about sharing the
booty.
Dogara- led House has told Nigerians that their clamour for the government to
curb corruption and slash the cost of governance will continue to be a pipe
dream. And they are also letting us know in very clear terms that as far as the
overpaid national assembly members are concerned, it is all about sharing the
booty.
This is coming as
several ranking lawmakers of the 360-strong member chamber intensify lobbying
for the headship of “Grade A” committees or what are otherwise considered
“plum” committees.
several ranking lawmakers of the 360-strong member chamber intensify lobbying
for the headship of “Grade A” committees or what are otherwise considered
“plum” committees.
Increasing the
number of committees from 84 to 95, the House now has a rise in total
allocation to the various committees.
number of committees from 84 to 95, the House now has a rise in total
allocation to the various committees.
Does it really make
any sense splitting the committee on education into three – primary, secondary
and tertiary education- and that on agriculture divided into two – mechanised
and rudimentary agriculture?
any sense splitting the committee on education into three – primary, secondary
and tertiary education- and that on agriculture divided into two – mechanised
and rudimentary agriculture?
I think this is
simply the speaker compensating his supporters at the expense of the nation.
simply the speaker compensating his supporters at the expense of the nation.
One question we
should ask Mr Dogara is if it is not the same House of Representatives that had
20 committees under former Speaker, Umar Ghali Na’abba in 1999.
should ask Mr Dogara is if it is not the same House of Representatives that had
20 committees under former Speaker, Umar Ghali Na’abba in 1999.
The United States is
bigger than Nigeria in size and population and has a larger House of
Representatives with 435 members, and it currently has 21 congressional
committees, 20 of which are standing committees and one select committee.
bigger than Nigeria in size and population and has a larger House of
Representatives with 435 members, and it currently has 21 congressional
committees, 20 of which are standing committees and one select committee.
Increasing the
number of House Committees from 84 to 95 in the face of a dwindling revenue and
their talks about ‘the need to cut cost of governance’ is hypocrisy of the
highest order. The sad thing is that these guys are not doing anything for us.
How it is that no member of the National Assembly has been recalled by his constituency
beats me. What can 95 committees do that 20 can’t? How many members constitute
a committee? Are we going to have one person in several committees? Well, I
guess yes, and no wonder they have been scrambling for “plum committees”. Plum?
Isn’t that a word for milking the treasury? Are we supposed to have anything
‘plum’ in the House? With the amount of committees, then every member will
definitely be a chairman of one committee or the other. The entire business of
legislation should be made a part-time thing and members paid only for the
times they actually sit and engage in legislative business. This will save cost
of running the National Assembly and make sense in the noise about reducing the
cost of governance.
number of House Committees from 84 to 95 in the face of a dwindling revenue and
their talks about ‘the need to cut cost of governance’ is hypocrisy of the
highest order. The sad thing is that these guys are not doing anything for us.
How it is that no member of the National Assembly has been recalled by his constituency
beats me. What can 95 committees do that 20 can’t? How many members constitute
a committee? Are we going to have one person in several committees? Well, I
guess yes, and no wonder they have been scrambling for “plum committees”. Plum?
Isn’t that a word for milking the treasury? Are we supposed to have anything
‘plum’ in the House? With the amount of committees, then every member will
definitely be a chairman of one committee or the other. The entire business of
legislation should be made a part-time thing and members paid only for the
times they actually sit and engage in legislative business. This will save cost
of running the National Assembly and make sense in the noise about reducing the
cost of governance.
Meanwhile, another
troubling story in the news is that of the Taraba State governor approving the
appointment of 50 special advisers and 62 senior special assistants, totalling
112 aides, who shall be advising him in the Government House. How difficult is
governing a state like Taraba that the governors need 112 advisers? We must
stop our so-called politicians from this madness. If a governor needs 112
advisers to run his government, why electing him at all? We need to be
conducting psychological tests on our political office seekers.
troubling story in the news is that of the Taraba State governor approving the
appointment of 50 special advisers and 62 senior special assistants, totalling
112 aides, who shall be advising him in the Government House. How difficult is
governing a state like Taraba that the governors need 112 advisers? We must
stop our so-called politicians from this madness. If a governor needs 112
advisers to run his government, why electing him at all? We need to be
conducting psychological tests on our political office seekers.
They have fashioned
another way to milk the nation. This is corruption at another level, if they
cannot cut down the cost of running the government in a dire time like this,
then they should stop singing about fighting corruption because they are even
more corrupt than the people they accuse of corruption.
another way to milk the nation. This is corruption at another level, if they
cannot cut down the cost of running the government in a dire time like this,
then they should stop singing about fighting corruption because they are even
more corrupt than the people they accuse of corruption.
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