Lagos Assembly constitutes 32 standing committees

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday constituted its 32 standing committees.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the assembly raised the number of its committees from 24 to 32 in line with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s restructuring of the state ministries.

The constitution of the committees followed a motion by the Majority Leader, Sanai Agunbiade, entitled: “Amendment of the Standing Committees of the Lagos State House of Assembly.”

Agunbiade said that pursuant to the resolution of June 16, the House set up an ad hoc committee with a mandate to break up the standing committees.

He said the ad hoc committee was to enhance efficiency and review the Business, Rules and Standing Orders of the assembly to amend inherent errors.

According to him, shortly after the constitution of the ad hoc committee, the governor announced changes to the composition, duties and nomenclature of some Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

He said: “This House also realised that the changes in the ministerial responsibilities and nomenclatures of the affected MDAs, will cause consequential changes in the oversight functions of corresponding House Committees.

“The House also recognises that the ad hoc committee has carried out the task entrusted to it, and has unbundled the 24 standing committees originally contained in the Business, Rules and Standing Orders of the House.

“This is to achieve a new committee structure of 32.”

Some of the newly constituted committees are: Committees on Selection; Business, Rules and Standing Orders; Ethics, Protocol and Privilege; Public Accounts (State); Public Accounts (Local Government); Agriculture; House Services; Economic Planning and Budget.

Others include: Education; Science and Technology; the Environment; Committees on Establishment, Training and Pension; Energy and Mineral Resources; Waterfront Infrastructure Development; Physical Planning and Urban Development.

NAN.