Dogara defends creation of more committees at inauguration

Posted By: Prince Achile on: November 10, 2015:

Dogara

•House Leader Gbajabiamila shuns event
THOSE WHO RESIGNED COMMITTEES’ MEMBERSHIP

Garba Mohammed Datti (APC Kano) Chairman, Committee on Solid Minerals Development
Sunday Adepoju (APC Oyo), Deputy Chairman, Committee on Special Duties
Hassan Saleh (PDP Benue) Deputy Chairman, Committee on Local Content
Chika Adamu Deputy Chairman (APC NIGER), Committee on Legislative ComplianceHOUSE of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara yesterday inaugurated 96 committees in a special session. But, the session showed more of the division in the House than the unity. The face-off over distribution of Committee between Dogara and Majority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila came to a head yesterday as the latter shunned the inauguration of the committees.
Gbajabiamila’s absence was conspicuous at the event witnessed by the Senate President Bukola Saraki, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachri David Lawal, former presiding and principal officers of the House, representatives of the Service Chiefs and former legislators among others.
Gbajabiamila’s duty of presenting the opening remarks was taken over by the Deputy Majority Leader, Buba Jubril.
However, after some goodwill messages and keynote address by former Deputy Speaker Chibudom Nwuche, the Speaker delivered his speech and defended the creation of additional committees.
There were 89 standing committees in the Seventh House of Representaives which the Speaker raised penultimate week when he announced chairmen and deputies for 96 committees.
Dogara yesterday downplayed public perception of ‘juicy and non-juicy committees’, saying all committees have equal importance.
His words: “Some commentators have decried the large number of committees as being unwieldy and not cost effective. This criticism, even though, apparently well-intentioned, misses the point.
“Experience gained from the operation of committees since 1999, shows that some committees’ functions and mandates are very wide indeed and cannot be effectively supervised and over sighted by a single committee.
“For instance, the House split the Committee on Education into two, namely: Basic Education and Services and Tertiary Education and Services.
“The old Committee on Education had a mandate to oversight the budget and policy issues of the following institutions – 104 unity schools; 22 federal colleges of education; 36 federal universities and 24 federal polytechnics.
“There is no way a single Committee can adequately oversight all these agencies with House members also attending to other issues in Plenary Sessions, like lawmaking and other representational responsibilities.
“For instance, the United States (U.S.) Congress has about 22 standing and select committees but about 100 sub-committees.
“This reasoning also informed the splitting of other committees, like Health which has about 150 institutions. Agriculture Committee was also split for the same reason. There is merit sometimes in setting up specific committees to handle specific problems.”
He said the reasons given above informed the creation of the new committee on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Refugees, and Initiatives on the Northeast.
Dogara reiterated further that the multiplicity of committees was to check corruption and impunity in government, saying, “undoubtedly the legislature remains the only institution with appropriate constitutional and statutory powers to check the executive arm and ensure that it discharges its mandate to the full benefit of all Nigerians”.
He said, there was nothing like juicy committee, as all committees have equal importance.
Dogara said: “The media has been awash with how some members got ‘juicy committees’ and some didn’t. Let me use this opportunity to restate that there is nothing like juicy committee or non-juicy committee. I personally do not understand what is meant by that.
“If it means opportunity to contribute, we can assure you that every member of a committee would enjoy ample and equal opportunity.
“Every committee of the House is very important and is designed to handle specific functions for the House and on behalf of the Nigerian people who elected us.”
Saraki, who was given a rousing ovation before and after reading his goodwill speech, assured Nigerians of the readiness of the lawmakers to discharge their responsibilities with diligence.
He noted that it is incumbent on the lawmakers to find solutions to the nation’s plethora of challenges.
The Senate President said: “As the highest law-making body in the country, we have a huge task ahead of us, to find answers to our numerous problems.
“The committee system is the veritable tool that helps to organize the most important works including considering, shaping, and passing our laws. They remain the most potent system for oversight and therefore anti-corruption.
“In this vein therefore, may I enjoin the new committees to operate above board. This has become necessary as we seek to re-engineer our economy and introduce a new regime of openness, efficiency, probity and institutional integrity.
“We cannot afford to fail Nigerians. Our citizens have demanded for change and we must give it to them through cooperation and diligence. The legislative agendas of both chambers converge in so many ways, I wish to use this opportunity to also solicit that we speedily dispatch issues for which we have consensus and reduce the time taken to pass critical legislation before us.”
The Chief Whip, Ado Doguwa, admitted the existence of a wide crack in the House.
In his vote of thanks, the lawmaker pledged solidarity of the nine principal officers to the Speaker’s leadership.
“We stand by what you have done. We stand by the position of the leadership. Nine of us are religiously behind you Mr. Speaker,” he said.
Responding to a question on the absence of the House Leader, the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media & Publicity, Jonathan Gaza, said: “I do not know why he was absent, but I believe it was for a good cause.”
He described Gbajabiamila’s absence as unfortunate and added that the country should be bigger than one.
His words: “Time has been wasted on several things…when you walk into that Chamber; it’s not about party anymore. We swore allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not to our respective parties. It is therefore about the progress of Nigeria. The wheel of governance is spinning and Nigeria would begin its upward move.”
Speaking for all chairmen and deputies at the close of the event, Abdulmumin Jibrin, who is the chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, prayed for patience for Dogara.
He said: “We will pray that God almighty increase your patience and humility even when it is tested. May God almighty increase your courage to always stand to the truth and for what is right. May God almighty guide you, protect you and increase your wisdom as you continue to preside over the affairs of this House. You are Speaker ordained by God and He alone will continue to protect you and us until the end of these four years and beyond.”
There was a rash of resignations by members who were uncomfortable with the constitution of the committees prior to yesterday’s inauguration.
The Deputy Minority Whip in the Seventh House and a member of the APC, Garba Mohammed Datti, was the first to resign as Chairman, House Committee on Solid Minerals Development.
He was followed by Sunday Adepoju (APC Oyo), who resigned as deputy chairman, Committee on Special Duties.
Another member from Benue State, Hassan Saleh (PDP) formerly communicated his rejection of the deputy chairmanship of the Committee on Local Content to the Speaker.
Also Chika Adamu resigned his committee position as deputy chairman of the House Committee on Legislative Compliance.