Senate President Godswill Akpabio has issued a stern warning to underperforming committee chairmen in the Senate, cautioning that they risk being replaced if they fail to deliver on their responsibilities.
During Tuesday’s plenary session, Akpabio voiced frustration over the persistent non-compliance of government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) with invitations from the National Assembly. This came in response to Bauchi Central Senator Abdul Ningi’s concern that the Senate Committee on Finance had yet to conduct oversight on 92 revenue-generating agencies.
Akpabio stressed the importance of oversight and warned that the Senate leadership would not hesitate to reshuffle committees to ensure effective supervision.
“If, for any reason, some committees are finding it too difficult to conduct oversight on their agencies, we will change the composition of the committees so that those with the capacity and capability can take over and perform their duties for the benefit of democracy in this country,” he stated.
He further directed all standing committee chairmen to submit reports detailing their oversight activities by January 31, 2025. The reports will be used to evaluate their progress and identify areas needing improvement.
Addressing the defiance of MDAs, Akpabio reminded them of the Senate’s constitutional authority to issue arrest warrants against those who resist legislative oversight.
He also called on committee chairmen to address instances of non-compliance, cautioning that neglecting such issues could normalise defiance.
