The House of Representatives may announce its standing Committees before embarking on annual vacation next week, The Nation has learnt. Indication to this effect was given by the Deputy Speaker during the week while presiding over plenary. The House is expected to embark on its annual two months vacation from Thursday, July 27, 2023, running to the middle of September. He constantly asked members to stop asking for the formation of adhoc committees as the standing committee will soon be constituted.
The House standing Committees are assigned the responsibilities of over sighting the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government and ensure the implementation of the annual budget. The 9th House had about 110 standing committees with some of them over sighting only one agency of government as against the 99 committees in the 8th Assembly. It is however not clear whether the leadership of the House will increase or reduce the number of standing committees in this dispensation.
The Nation gathered that both old and new members have been busy lobbying to be appointed into what they considered juicy committees of the House. It was also gathered that the delay in constituting the committees may not be unconnected with the agreement entered into with some of those who contested the position of Speaker and Deputy Speaker to ensure that their supporters are adequately represented in the leadership of the various committees.
It was gathered that the immediate past Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Aliyu Muktar Betara may be handed back his committee as part of the deal struck with him before he stepped down from the Speaker ship contest. He was said to have also been assured that some of his loyalists will be considered for Committee chairmanship and deputy chairman.
Many Lawmakers consider committees that oversee ministries, departments and agencies of Government with enormous influence and huge budgets as ‘juicy’ and such committees are often reserved for key members of the leading party and those loyal to the presiding officers. Apart from these so called juicy committees, the Committee on Public Account which is the only Committee recognised by the Constitution and the Committee on Public petition are reserved for members of the opposition.