The House of Representatives has made minor changes to the Leadership of some of its Standing Committees, to strengthen oversight and ensure greater effectiveness.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, who made this known during Tuesday’s plenary on the floor of the Chamber, announced Rep. Abdulmumin Jibrin (NNPP, Kano) as the new Chairman of the House Committee on Housing and Habitat.
Other Members of the Green Chamber announced in the reshuffle include: Rep. Oluwole Oke (PDP, Osun), Rep. Aminu Balele (APC, Katsina), and Rep Mamudu Abdullahi (APC, Niger) who will chair the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Army and Judiciary, respectively.
The House also announced the constitution of an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate frequent closure of businesses in Nigeria and the eventual exit of Messrs Kimberly-Clark and several other business outfits from the country, to be chaired by Rep. Kayode Moshood Akiolu (APC, Lagos).
Rep. Jibrin, a fourth-term Member of the Green Chamber, has previously served as Chairman of the Committees on Finance, Appropriation, Transport and Foreign Affairs, respectively. In the Executive Arm, he has also served as Executive Director of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA).
As mandated by the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives (Eleventh Edition), the oversight and jurisdiction of the House Committee on Housing and Habitat covers the Federal Ministry of Housing and departments and agencies of the federal government which deal with housing. All federal housing programmes and agencies, Federal Mortgage Bank, Federal Mortgage Finance, implementation of mortgage policies of government, Family Homes Fund (FHF), issues on housing and annual budget estimates of the ministry and agencies fall under the committee’s oversight jurisdiction.
The formulation of a comprehensive national housing policy, as well as the harmonisation, coordination and streamlining of all housing policies for all levels of government to fit into the national housing scheme. Other areas of jurisdiction include formulation of strategies to generate funds to enhance the national housing policy, oversight over all Federal Housing programmes and agencies;-
His Committee is mandated to act as catalyst directly related to habitat agenda principles and commitment regarding sustainable development, as well as advise the House regarding networking regionally and internationally to strengthen dialogue and technical cooperation in the area of urban development strategies.
Until Tuesday’s minor reshuffle of Committee Leadership, the Kano lawmaker chaired the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and is expected to bring his sound academic background and wealth of experience to the new role.
Rep. Oke previously chaired the House Committees on Public Accounts and Judiciary, while Rep. Abdullahi and Rep. Balele chaired the House Committees on Army and Housing/Habitat respectively.
The Green Chamber proceeded on a short recess following the adjournment of plenary until Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
