Visit African Examiner... Blog | Sports | Guest Book | Write 4 Us
Search African Examiner
| Copyrights 2007 S.O &T Communications LLC, All Rights Reserved www.africanexaminer.com. Africanexaminer is an epublication of S.O&T Communication LLC, P.O. Box 2445 Landover Hills, MD, USA |
Blog | Sports | Guest Book | Write 4 Us
..............................................................................................................................................
| Advert with us and reach millions of your target audience world wide editor@africanexaminer.com 301-803-8033 |
...................................................
Need website? get 40% discount darr-concepts creative studios contact us:- admin@darrconcepts.com www.darrconcepts.com 301-803-8033 |
| Media Associates |
| Pointblank News.com Nwaokonaku.blogspot First Class Magazine huhuonline.com African Examiner Blog vinfish.blogspot.com |
Do you want to
contribute
ARTICLES to African
Examiner? We have
space for You. Click
HERE to Contact
contribute
ARTICLES to African
Examiner? We have
space for You. Click
HERE to Contact
Re:Hungarian Lady
Who Keeps An Eye
on Africans
Dear Hakeem
First of all, this lady does
not deserve the above title
and should not have gotten
this..Read More
Who Keeps An Eye
on Africans
Dear Hakeem
First of all, this lady does
not deserve the above title
and should not have gotten
this..Read More
*The Electoral Fraudsters
*The Nigeria State Looters
*Mess Made in Kenya
*Dishonourable honourable
*African Beauty in Ireland
*The birthday Lady
*HUASA Fashion
*Senegalese Night
*Golden Eaglets
*The Nigeria State Looters
*Mess Made in Kenya
*Dishonourable honourable
*African Beauty in Ireland
*The birthday Lady
*HUASA Fashion
*Senegalese Night
*Golden Eaglets
| African-Examiner Photo Gallery |
| www.grandcaregiver.com e-mail:-roslync @grandcaregiver.com 410-644-4994 |
African Daily
Newspapers
THE GUARDIAN
THE STAR
THE SUB SAHARA
THE PUNCH
NIGERIA TRIBUNE
TIMES OF ZAMBIA
THE SUN
DAILY GRAPHICS
CAPE TIMES
THISDAY
MAIL & GUARDIAN
VANGUARD
DAILY INDEPENDENT
TELL
ACCRA MAIL
THE NEWS
Newspapers
THE GUARDIAN
THE STAR
THE SUB SAHARA
THE PUNCH
NIGERIA TRIBUNE
TIMES OF ZAMBIA
THE SUN
DAILY GRAPHICS
CAPE TIMES
THISDAY
MAIL & GUARDIAN
VANGUARD
DAILY INDEPENDENT
TELL
ACCRA MAIL
THE NEWS
| MAKE BIG BUCKS IN HOME CARE BUSINESS |
Messing up the committees of the House of Representatives
Ayo Afolabi, Abuja Nigeria.
In writing about 21st century, Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister observed that he had the
misfortune of living in an age of great men but small events. In this era of great challenges confronting the
country, can the lawmakers at the highest legislative body rise up to these events? The happenings at the House
of Representatives over the composition of standing committees might have given away the lawmakers as
people of trader¢s mentality who may not be counted when confronted with great events. The standing
committees which should ordinarily be regarded as a clearing house for all the legislative business has been
thoroughly messed up.
Creating such committees to oversee the activities of various ministries, parastatals and agencies of government
has become the practice worldwide. The essence is to curb arbitrariness, lack of transparency and corruption
in the running of government. It was for the reason stated above that informs the creation of such committees
as energy, Petroleum, works, Housing, Sports and the likes.
Under the leadership of Alhaji Umar Ghali Na'Abba, from 1999 to 2003, the creation as well as the choice of
committee headship became politicized. No fewer than 58 committees were created under him with many of
them having no work to do as there were no corresponding ministries, parastatals or agencies for them to
supervise. It was at that time also that the committees also became an instrument of intimidation and
arm-twisting of the officials of government.
Members of these committees see the opportunity provided by their membership to corner juicy contracts
from the ministries. Where these were becoming difficult, they result to probe to intimidate these officials and
ministers. The story was not much different under Na'Abba;s successor, Alhaji Bello Masari who also
increased the committees to 68. Rather than toe the line of sanity, the current leadership of the House of
Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, as if what his predecessor did was a child play, decided to increase the
number of committees to 85. The names of many of the committees were so ridiculous and with embarrassing
nomenclatures. Some committees, as it were, already have overlapping responsibilities.
For instance, what is committee on FCT and also committee on FCT Area? What is committee on
Judiciary and another one on Justice. What is the need for a committee on internal security when
there is another one called National security? What on earth could the function of donor committee
possibly be? There such committees with ridiculous responsibilities such as Diaspora, Legislative
Compliance, Constituency Outreach, Climate and Global warming, Lake Chad and Women
Parliament. With these overlapping responsibilities, many of the committees are heading for
showdown over supervision of ministries, parastatals and agencies. Just like in the past, it is
expected that the inauguration of these committees will be celebrated with pomp and pageantry thus
halting the work of the legislature for at least one month.
While it appears that the leadership of the House of Representatives might have succumbed to pressures by
creating these committees with bogus nomenclatures, he might also have succeeded in causing bad blood
among members. There are indications as at the time of writing this piece that some leadership of the new
committees were already threatening to reject the committee given to them, while those without committees to
head are jeering for showdown.
There is no gainsaying that there is urgent need to police some of the ministries, parastatals and agencies that
have contributed in no small measure to the near collapse of the nation¢s economy, it is however highly
regrettable that the committees presently constituted by the House of Representatives leadership might not be
up to the task of arresting the decay or rot that has become the lots of our economy.
It is not just on the basis of political expediency or loyalty that the headship of a critical committee that should
lead an onslaught against the ailing steel and energy sector or ever corrupt petroleum sector be selected, such
headship must have integrity and demonstrable ability to lead such committees at this critical time. What of the
tax payers¢ money that would be budgeted for these committees, can such budget be really justified on the
basis of the current composition of these committees?
In developed democracy committees of parliament are well structured and manageable. For instance, British
House of Commons have just 31 committees while its counterpart in the United State have 23 standing
committees. Can the already malnurished poor taxpayer afford the luxury of having committees with nebulous
and riddiculous appelations?
This is the question begging for answer.
Ayo Afolabi, Abuja Nigeria.
In writing about 21st century, Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister observed that he had the
misfortune of living in an age of great men but small events. In this era of great challenges confronting the
country, can the lawmakers at the highest legislative body rise up to these events? The happenings at the House
of Representatives over the composition of standing committees might have given away the lawmakers as
people of trader¢s mentality who may not be counted when confronted with great events. The standing
committees which should ordinarily be regarded as a clearing house for all the legislative business has been
thoroughly messed up.
Creating such committees to oversee the activities of various ministries, parastatals and agencies of government
has become the practice worldwide. The essence is to curb arbitrariness, lack of transparency and corruption
in the running of government. It was for the reason stated above that informs the creation of such committees
as energy, Petroleum, works, Housing, Sports and the likes.
Under the leadership of Alhaji Umar Ghali Na'Abba, from 1999 to 2003, the creation as well as the choice of
committee headship became politicized. No fewer than 58 committees were created under him with many of
them having no work to do as there were no corresponding ministries, parastatals or agencies for them to
supervise. It was at that time also that the committees also became an instrument of intimidation and
arm-twisting of the officials of government.
Members of these committees see the opportunity provided by their membership to corner juicy contracts
from the ministries. Where these were becoming difficult, they result to probe to intimidate these officials and
ministers. The story was not much different under Na'Abba;s successor, Alhaji Bello Masari who also
increased the committees to 68. Rather than toe the line of sanity, the current leadership of the House of
Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, as if what his predecessor did was a child play, decided to increase the
number of committees to 85. The names of many of the committees were so ridiculous and with embarrassing
nomenclatures. Some committees, as it were, already have overlapping responsibilities.
For instance, what is committee on FCT and also committee on FCT Area? What is committee on
Judiciary and another one on Justice. What is the need for a committee on internal security when
there is another one called National security? What on earth could the function of donor committee
possibly be? There such committees with ridiculous responsibilities such as Diaspora, Legislative
Compliance, Constituency Outreach, Climate and Global warming, Lake Chad and Women
Parliament. With these overlapping responsibilities, many of the committees are heading for
showdown over supervision of ministries, parastatals and agencies. Just like in the past, it is
expected that the inauguration of these committees will be celebrated with pomp and pageantry thus
halting the work of the legislature for at least one month.
While it appears that the leadership of the House of Representatives might have succumbed to pressures by
creating these committees with bogus nomenclatures, he might also have succeeded in causing bad blood
among members. There are indications as at the time of writing this piece that some leadership of the new
committees were already threatening to reject the committee given to them, while those without committees to
head are jeering for showdown.
There is no gainsaying that there is urgent need to police some of the ministries, parastatals and agencies that
have contributed in no small measure to the near collapse of the nation¢s economy, it is however highly
regrettable that the committees presently constituted by the House of Representatives leadership might not be
up to the task of arresting the decay or rot that has become the lots of our economy.
It is not just on the basis of political expediency or loyalty that the headship of a critical committee that should
lead an onslaught against the ailing steel and energy sector or ever corrupt petroleum sector be selected, such
headship must have integrity and demonstrable ability to lead such committees at this critical time. What of the
tax payers¢ money that would be budgeted for these committees, can such budget be really justified on the
basis of the current composition of these committees?
In developed democracy committees of parliament are well structured and manageable. For instance, British
House of Commons have just 31 committees while its counterpart in the United State have 23 standing
committees. Can the already malnurished poor taxpayer afford the luxury of having committees with nebulous
and riddiculous appelations?
This is the question begging for answer.