All legislative activities, including oversight function to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) shall remain unattended to in about two months that the House of Representatives will be on annual recess.
Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila announced this Thursday in a valedictory speech on the last plenary for the present legislative session.
Gbajabiamila however said only the Committee on Finance which is working on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) recently submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari and Committee on Internal Security that will be working on the security on National premises are allowed to operate during the recess.
“As we come to the end of this legislative period, we recognise that where much has been done, there is still a lot left to do. We are aware that though much has been achieved, there remain many challenges that task us, that require of us that we work harder, collaborate better, and make the hard decisions that are required for progress and prosperity.
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“This recess is, therefore, an opportunity for members of the Honourable House to engage with constituents to understand the areas of their most pressing concerns so that when we return, we can begin to address those as a matter of the highest priority.
“The work of the legislature never ends. Even though we will not be here in chambers making laws and advocating for our people, our attention will still be required in our constituencies on other engagements relating to our service in this House of Representatives. Nevertheless, let us all endeavour to use this recess to spend time with our families, and for deep reflection, to examine ourselves and assess the quality of the service we have each provided this year.
“It is from such reflection, that we will be able to determine those areas where improvements are needed, and where we need to do better than we did in the past year. To this end, all Committee assignments except finance working on MTEF and the Internal Security that will be working on the security on our premises, are suspended till resumption”, he said.
The Speaker scored the 9th Assembly high for making groundbreaking laws such as the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which has been passed after several failed attempts and the Electoral Act Amendment Bill that is to be passed during the last plenary.
Gbajabiamila said after the recess, the parliament will resume with renewed vigour and a greater commitment to the service of the Nigerian people in whose name lawmakers assemble in the hallowed chamber, and on whose behalf, they carry out the work of the legislature.
“The Constitutional amendment process in the House of Representatives continues apace. We have received submissions from across the country. We have conducted nationwide public hearings to seek the views of the Nigerian people so that the final product of the process reflects as much as is possible, the best expectations of our fellow citizens. As I have said before, this constitutional amendment process is unlike those that came before.
“This time, we seek nothing less than a wholesale review of the constitution with the express intention of crafting a document that reflects the democratic ideal, and at the same time resolves those foundational conflicts of our nationhood that hinder our march to progress. The current constitution of our Federal Republic reflects our past. We need a constitution that speaks to our present and makes a better future possible. And it is our commitment in this 9th House of Representatives to deliver such a constitution”, added.
