Reps’ 135 Standing Committees fail to submit performance reports

No fewer than 135 Standing Committees set up by the leadership of the House of Representatives have failed to submit reports on their performance for the past 11 months.

This is occurring barely 37 days before the end of the first legislative year of the 10th session of the National Assembly.

Chairman of the House Committee on Monitoring, Evaluation, and Implementation of the Legislative Agenda, Hon Patrick Umoh, raised the concern during Tuesday’s plenary.

Hon Umoh observed that his Committee had formally written to the Chairmen of all the 137 Standing Committees of the House to forward their reports.

However, as of the present moment, only two Committees have turned in their reports, leaving about 135 Committees yet to comply.

“I was appointed Chairman of the House Committee on Monitoring, Evaluation, and Implementation of the Legislative Agenda for the optimisation of the standing order of this House and for robust legislative engagement.

“The Committee on Monitoring, Evaluation, and Implementation of the Legislative Agenda had, pursuant to Order 84, Rule 1, sub ‘f,’ issued letters to the 137 Standing Committees of this House to provide or furnish the Committee with details of Committees’ performances.

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“Mr. Speaker, I rise to inform this House that up till now, we have only received two reports from the Committees on Works and Inter-Parliamentary Union. Outside of these, 135 Standing Committees are still outstanding.

“Mr. Speaker, to report progress, we cannot make any progress if it remains so, as these Standing Committees have 14 Legislative days to turn in their reports.

“I know certainly that the Committee on Monitoring, Evaluation, and Implementation of Legislative Agenda enjoys the support of Mr. Speaker and the leadership of the 10th House of Representatives.

“Mr. Speaker, we cannot continue this way, which is why I, as Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, am appealing to Mr. Speaker and the leadership of the House to insist that the 135 Standing Committees of the House whose reports are still outstanding should turn them in on or before the end of the last Legislative day that expires this month.

“This is the belief of my Committee, and I know I speak on behalf of the members of my Committee.”

Worried by the development, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen called on the remaining Committees to comply to ensure the House is updated.

He urged all the affected chairmen of the 135 Standing Committees to “ensure that all our reports are sent to the chairman between now and the new dof the month. You should also be aware that we will be celebrating our one year in office by June 13th.

“Some of your inputs are going to form parts of our report, so please, I urge you, I implore you, please kindly send your reports to him.”

To this end, the Speaker directed Hon. Umoh to “list out the names of all the Committees in the next two weeks that have not complied to further urge them to do so. Please kindly comply,” Hon. Abbas urged.”