Saraki to Unveil Senate Committee Chairs This Week

Saraki to Unveil Senate Committee Chairs This Week

02 Nov 2015

1802F20.Bukola-Saraki.jpg-1802F20.Bukola-Saraki.

 Senate President Bukola Saraki
By Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja  
The Senate is set to constitute its standing committees this week, THISDAY learnt last night.
The upper parliamentary chamber, THISDAY further learnt, will increase the number of its standing committees from 56 in the seventh Senate to about 60.
Speaking with THISDAY in a telephone conversation at the weekend, Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, assured Nigerians that Senate President Bukola Saraki would announce the composition of the committees this week.
He said even though the composition process had been tasking, the leadership of the Senate had ensured that it was fair to all.
 He also said the Senate leadership had ensured that the composition process was balanced and transparent with a view to ensuring that every interest was adequately taken care of.
Although the Senate leader was not categorical about the exact number of standing committees to be constituted, but there is a suspicion that the committees may increase from 56 to 65.
Ndume disclosed further that besides increasing the number of the committees to take care of relevant interests, it was also necessary to split some of the committees that were considered too large into smaller units.
He said that breaking the number of committees into smaller units would enhance their efficiency and effectiveness, adding that the just concluded screening and confirmation of ministerial nominees made the process more tasking.
"Yes, the committees will be announced this week. I can't say whether it will be on Tuesday but l can tell you that they will be announced this week - either on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. We are just finishing the process. It has not been as easy as it looks. We are looking at reactions. We are also trying to be fair, transparent and balance the process.
"We are likely to increase the number above 60 from 56 to take care of various interests. Some of the committees are too large. So, we have decided to create relevant committees. We tried to break down the committees to ensure efficiency so that our oversight can be more effective.
"That is why we are likely to increase the committees from 56 to above 60. The Senate president will announce the committees this week. The work was more tedious than we thought as a result of the screening process. Some of us were going round to consult during the process. But now that the screening process is over, we have more time," Ndume said.
He, however, declined to name the committees that were split neither did he agree to name any of the newly created committees nor the names of prospective chairmen.
It is, however, believed that the composition of the committees will calm frayed nerves generated by the confirmation of former Rivers State Governor, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, on Thursday.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators had staged a walkout from the plenary on Thursday during the confirmation of Amaechi following the All Progressives Congress (APC) senators' decision to ignore their PDP colleagues' call that Amaechi should not be confirmed in accordance with the recommendation of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.
With the planned increase in the number of its committees, the Senate will be toeing the line of the House of Representatives which had recently increased the number of its own standing committees from 89 to 95.
While the majority party, APC, chairs 48 committees in the House, the main opposition PDP heads 45 committees. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) chairs one committee while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) heads one.