By Atoyebi Nike
The House of Representatives has withdrawn several bills earlier referred to eight of its Standing Committees for failing to act on them within the time limit set by its rules.
The decision followed the adoption of a motion by the Chairman, Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, during plenary on Tuesday. The motion was titled “Discharge of Committees on referrals on bills pursuant to Order 18 Rule 11 (5) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives.”
Under House Order 18, Rule 3(g), committees must treat referred matters within 30 days, or risk being discharged after 60 days, unless an extension of no more than 15 days is granted.
Committees affected include the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Committee, which failed to act on the NDDC Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023; the Banking and Regulations Committee, which stalled on the Factoring Assignment and Receivables Financing Bill, 2023; and the Committee on Justice, which did not report on the Interpretation Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Others are the Committees on Information, Poverty Alleviation, Environment, Federal Polytechnics, and Health Institutions.
Waive said the affected committees had not presented any reports contrary to the House rules, prompting the revocation of their referrals.
Following a unanimous voice vote, the House recommitted all the affected bills to the Committee of the Whole for further consideration.
