By Henry Umoru
ABUJA — AHEAD of the composition of the 57 Standing Committees in the Senate, most of the Senators have indicated their interest to serve on some very juicy committees such as Petroleum Resources, Committee on Petroleum Downstream, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

The Committee on Downstream oversees Refineries, Pipeline and Petroleum Products Marketing; Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Oil Subsidy, Petroleum Products Price Regulation, annual budget estimates.

Vanguard gathered that other committees that the Senators would want to either be chairmen, Vice Chairmen and members are Committee on Finance which oversees Customs and Excise, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS; Committees on Marine Transport, Inter Parliamentary Affairs, Works, Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy.

It was also gathered that besides these very strong committees, others where senators indicated interest to serve were Education, Internal Affairs, Police Affairs, Navy and Army. However, committees like Media and Public Affairs, Local and Foreign Debts, National Identity and National Population,  Information, Women Affairs and Youth Development, among others did not have enough patronage.

Meanwhile, there are indications that senators will on Thursday this week proceed on another recess that will last six weeks. The senators at resumption of plenary after the election of Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, June 9,  went on recess June 10 and resumed June 23.

On  June 25, they went for another recess and were scheduled  to  resume July 21, but one week was added and  they resumed July 28. By Thursday this week when they would be proceeding on recess, the lawmakers would have sat for 14 days.

It will be recalled that Senate President Bukola  Saraki had disclosed last week during plenary that forms would be distributed to senators to indicate interest in their choice committees.

Saraki who noted that every lawmaker has the liberty to belong to more than one committee, stressed that they were free to also make suggestions after studying the forms. According to him,  “Senators are advised to fill the forms indicating their interest in belonging to the committees of their choice and it is a maximum of five committees per senator.

“The forms will be distributed by the Clerk. You can also take a look at the form and make your submissions to the leader of the Senate.”

The office of the Clerk of the Senate and that of the Senate leader, Senator Ali Ndume have been very busy collating the forms.

It would also be recalled that the Senate President had named chairmen and members of three special committees and one ad-hoc committee.

The three committees were Senate Services Committee, Rules And Business Committee; Ethics And Privileges Committee; and Media, Information And Public Affairs Committee.

While Ibrahim Gobir (APC, Sokoto East) was made chairman of Senate Services Committee, Samuel Anyanwu (PDP, Imo East) was named chairman of Ethics and Privileges Committee. Babajide Omoworare (APC, Osun East) was named chairman, Rules And Business Committee, just as Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West) is to head the Committee on Media, Information And Public Affairs on ad-hoc capacity.

The announcement was in line with Order 96 of the Senate Standing Order, which makes provision for the establishment of special committees within the first 14 legislative days.