By Asmau Ahmad
The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on COVID-19, set up by the legislative chamber to oversee the activities of the Federal Government during the pandemic, has made public its report.
Chairman of the House Committee on COVID–19, Haruna Mshelia, laid out the report on the pandemic after over three years that the panel was set up.
While the committee was constituted on April 28, 2020, Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, had earlier on March 19, 2020, inaugurated the committee, with a mandate to coordinate the House activities on the pandemic and oversee the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
Gbajabiamila, while inaugurating the House committee, said the panel was set up as part of a resolve by the parliament to constantly work for the best interests of the Nigerians.
“The 18-man committee we have come to inaugurate reflects the intention of the House of Representatives to engage the executive arm of government in a partnership that serves the best interests of the Nigerian people as we join hands to confront and conquer the most severe challenge of our lives,” he said.
Gbajabiamila at the time directed the committee to ensure that the operations of the PTF are conducted to meet international best practices.
Meanwhile, the House passed no fewer than eight bills for third reading, among them is, ‘A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to strengthen the operations of the Agency, empower the Agency to Establish Laboratories, update the list of Dangerous Drugs, review the penalty provisions, enhance the power of the Agency to Prosecute Drug-Related Offences and issue Subsidiary Legislation; and for Related Matters (HB.2195).’
