House of Reps to prune committees

House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has started the process to reduce the number of standing committees in the legislature in order to streamline operational cost. The House presently has 91 standing committees, but New Telegraph gathered from sources that the number of committees might be trimmed to 75 in the aftermath of the cost-saving restructuring.

According to a source, “I think at the end of the whole thing, we may have like 75 standing committees. At least I’m sure the media and public affairs may be merged with information and national orientation.” Some other committees likely to be merged are the finance and appropriation committees; the committees on Army, Air force and Navy may be merged with defence, while the committee on special duties is likely to be joined with environment.

It was gathered that the committee on industries may be joined with the committee on commerce while works may be merged with housing and urban development. Already, lawmakers have intensified lobbying either to head or to be members of juicy committees, particular House services, banking and finance, appropriation and works. Other committees whose leadership and membership are being lobbied for include health, which may be merged with HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis control.

However, speaking on the planned restructuring of the committees, Chairman of the House Ad hoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Sani Zoro (APC, Jigawa), said in Abuja at the weekend that the reduction in the number of committees was in conformity with the agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to bring down the cost of governance.

He, however, declined to give the number of committees the House would have in the new dispensation. Explaining why the speaker could not constitute the committees before the House proceeded on annual recess last Thursday, Zoro said: “I can tell you that the speaker is trimming down the standing committees of the House to rhyme with the new thinking (of the Buhari administration).”

According to the House spokesman, the process of realigning the committees will be concluded in the next few weeks to pave the way for the constitution of the leadership of the committees by the Committee on Selection, which is headed by the speaker.

He stated that forms would soon be issued out to lawmakers to indicate their committees of preference, adding that the appointment to committees is, however, based on experience, competence and federal character. “Honourable members are going to be given forms to fill and indicate their committees of preference.

However, the final allocation to committees will be done by the selection committee, which is under the leadership of the speaker,” Zoro said. Zoro allayed fears that the House would be drawn into another round of crisis after the constitution of committee chairmen. He said the House had put in place machinery to ensure peace for legislative business to thrive.