*Sets up five c’ttees to shape House

By EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

ABUJA – NON-PAYMENT of allowance and inability of the management of National Assembly to provide office accommodation have forced members of the House of Representatives to embark on a three week recess to enable management adequately prepare for all members.

The Reps who received members of their various constituencies on Monday who came to felicitate with them complained that they had to assist their constituents to go back home, making the recess absolutely necessary.

It was, however, gathered that the primary issue that led to the adjournment was the fact that the mandatory 28 days Daily Travel Allowance, DTA, was not made available by the management making life more miserable for the Reps.

This development was instrumental to the four-hour closed door session by members yesterday who discussed issues ranging from how the House can be properly put in place particularly now that more than half of the members are legislative green horns.

The plenary eventually took shape 25 minutes after the gallery was opened to the public and the new Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, had his first major plenary session which lasted barely 30 minutes before it was adjourned.

Tambuwal said, the House during the executive session, resolved to set up five committees which include: the committee on Rules and Business, 12 members; a committee on Selection, consisting of one Rep from 36 states of the federation and FCT; a Welfare Committee, consisting of one member each from the 36 states of the federation including the FCT; an adhoc committee on Media consisting of 7 members to help redeem the image of the House and an ad-hoc committee on the review of the Code of Conduct of members.

Deputy Speaker of the House, Emeka Ihedioha, PDP, representing Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency moved for the adoption of the resolutions, Rep Jerry Mawe, Taraba seconded it and it was unanimously adopted.

The Deputy Speaker also moved for adjournment and a recess of three weeks to enable the management of the National Assembly to prepare office spaces for members and it was immediately seconded by Dr Seconte Davies, PDP, Rivers.

It was, however, gathered that the executive session which started at about 10.20 am ended at 2.20pm was said to have started and ended peacefully but the major issue was probably not accommodation but the fact that legislators were not ready to legislate with empty stomachs.

Senate to inform international parliamentary associations of inauguration

Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday resolved to send messages to international parliamentary associations, informing them of the inauguration of the seventh Senate.

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who moved the motion, said the communication was necessary to inform the associations that “the seventh Senate has assembled and ready to receive any communications.”

The Senate unanimously adopted the motion.

Some of the associations include the Africa Union, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Inter-Parliamentary Union, ECOWAS Parliament and Pan African Parliament.

Others are the Association of Senate, Shoora and their equivalent council in Africa and the Arab World.

Meanwhile, Mark has re-appointed Mr  Paul Mumeh as his Chief Press Secretary (CPS).

Mumeh served as CPS to Mark between 2007 and 2011.