The House of Representatives has decided to set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the Federal Character Commission (FCC) on appointments undertaken by Ministries, Departments and Agencies under its jurisdiction between 2015–2023.
The resolution of the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved at the plenary on Tuesday, by Hon. Paul Nnamchi.
Leading the debate on the motion the lawmaker said the FCC Act was enacted in 1995 and enshrined in the Constitution with the primary responsibility to promote, monitor and enforce compliance with the principles of the proportional sharing of all bureaucratic, economic, media and political posts at all levels of government;
The lawmaker decried that 28 years after this purposeful enactment was aimed at national cohesion and equal opportunities, and 24 years after its constitutional entrenchment, the perception was that there exists brazen domination of the bureaucratic, economic, media and political posts at all levels by a section of the country at the expense of the others.
Nnamchi pointed out that the commission has virtually abdicated its constitutional and statutory responsibilities and degenerated into personality clashes of interest amongst its commissioners as was the case about a year ago.
The lawmaker saidthe Constitution empowered the National Assembly with the categorical powers under section 88(2) (6) to expose corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated by it as part of its core oversight and supervisory duty;
Nnamchi cited Order 17, Rule 1 (a – b) of the Standing Orders of the House, which says all Ministries, statutory Agencies, Bodies or corporations shall forward to the Speaker all reports required by statute within three months of the close of the reporting period, and any violation of the same attracts sanctions as provided in the Legislative houses (Power and Privileges) Act, 2017;
To this end, resolved to constitute an Ad-hoc, “Committee on Federal Character to request the Federal Character Commission to forward the returns on appointments undertaken by Ministries, Departments and Agencies under its jurisdiction between 2015–2023 and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.”