Special Committees of the National Assembly

In the next few days to weeks, we will be experiencing a subdivision of both Houses of the National Assembly into Committees. The Senate will be subdivided into 56 standing Committees while the House of Representatives will be broken into 90 standing Committees. Committees can be permanent or temporary, the standing Committees are permanent because their names and functions are stated in the House Rule books, while temporary Committees are setup on Ad Hoc basis as matters arise, for example Ad Hoc Committee on SURE P. Major workings of the Legislature are done at the Committee level, from public hearing, budget defense, site visitations, investigative hearings and all oversight functions are carried out at the Committee level.




According to Dr Rahila A. Ahmadu

"A Committee is a sub-division of the House established to aid the parent body in the preparation and detailed examination of draft laws or other matters for consideration by the House. It also assists in the formulation of policies and carrying out investigations on matters or issues referred to it. At the end, it makes recommendations to the House for final determination. A committee therefore is a major task-easing device in the internal organization of a Parliament".

Six of the Committees in both Houses stand out as Special Committees. The National Assembly Rule books require that within the first fourteen legislative days legislators must be appointed into the Special Committees. Below are the Special Committees, their functions and jurisdiction as it appears in the Senate Standing Order:

1. Committee of Selection
2. Committee on Rules and Business
3. Senate Services Committee
4. Committee on Ethics; Code of Conduct and Public Petitions
5. Public Accounts Committee
6. Committee on National Security and Intelligence 

Committee on Selection: 

The Presiding Officers and Principal Officers constitute the membership of this Committee; the Senate President/ Speaker, the Deputy Senate President/Speaker, Majority Leader, Chief Whip, Deputy Majority Leader, Deputy Chief Whip, Minority Leader, Minority Whip, Deputy Minority Leader and the Deputy Minority Whip. The Basic functions are to nominate Senators/Members to serve on committees, nominate Senators/Members going on parliamentary delegation other than Committees, and periodically review Committee Appointments.

Committee on Rules and Business

1. Scheduling Business of the Senate and causing them to be printed on the Order Paper
2. Allocation of time for the business of the Senate
3. Senate organization relative to its Rules and Procedure
4. Monitoring the passage of Bills that are before the Senate and its committees
5. Interaction with State Houses of Assembly relative to Rules and Business of the Senate
6. Workshops and Seminars in respect of parliamentary practice and procedures for Senators
7. Gazetting of Bills.

Committee on Senate Services 

1. Welfare of Senators
2. Budget and Appropriation of the Senate
3. Maintenance of the Senate Chamber and premises including offices and accommodation
4. Residential and office accommodation for Senators
5. Provision of equipment and materials for Senate Premises
6. Provision of Motor vehicles for Senators
7. Monitoring of the Finances of the Senate

Committee on Ethics; Code of Conduct and Public Petitions

1. Consideration of the subject matter of all petitions referred to it by the Senate and shall report from time to time to the Senate its opinion of the action to be taken thereon together with such other observations on petition and the signatures attached thereof, as the committee may think fit.
2. The Committee recommends to the Senate time to time administrative actions as it may deem appropriate to establish and enforce standards of official conduct for the Senators
3. The Committee oversees and monitors the activities of Code of Conduct Bureau.

Committee on Public Accounts

1. Examines the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by the Senate to meet the public expenditure; together with the Auditor's report. The Committee for the purpose of discharging that duty has power to send for any person, papers and records, to report from time to time to the Senate and to sit notwithstanding the adjournment of the Senate.
2. The Committee has power to examine any accounts or report of statutory corporations and boards after they have been laid on the Table for the Senate
3. The Committee have powers to enquire the report of the Auditor-General of the Federation with respect to any prepayment audit query which had been overruled by the Chief Executive of the Ministry, Extra-Ministerial Departments or Agency of the Federal Government and Courts of the Federation and to report same to the Senate

Committee on National Security and Intelligence

1. Have powers over public security
2. Matters relating to any organization or agency established by Law for ensuring the security of the Federation.

Note: These Special Committees are also obtainable in the House of Representatives.

Sources:

Senate Standing Order

Legislative Practice and procedure by Dr Rahila A. Ahmadu

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