Lawmakers involvement in Hajj cripples Senate

The involvement of many senators in the ongoing hajj operations in Saudi Arabia is seriously hampering legislative business in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

The Leader of the Senate, Senator Victor Ndoma – Egba, had announced during the plenary on Tuesday that the involvement of some senators in the current hajj operations necessitated the adjournment of its activities till October 22.

Investigations by our correspondent revealed that some committees have also decided to suspend either the submission of their reports or their sittings because their members had travelled for hajj.

For instance, the report of the committee on Establishment and Public Service on the National Assembly Service Commission Act Cap N7 2004 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill 2013, could not be presented to the Senate on Tuesday because the members were not available.

Also, the Senate could not consider the National Health Bill’s report already prepared by its Committee on Health while the development also halted the consideration of the report of the committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public petitions.

The committee, headed by Senator Ayo Akinyelure (Ondo Central), would have presented its report on the petitions from 39 staff of the National Judicial Institute over the wrongful termination of their appointments.

The situation continued on Wednesday when the Senator Smart Adeyemi’s Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, deferred its Public Hearing on Conveyancing and Law of Property Act 1881, as applicable in the FCT.

Punch