There are growing concerns over the spate at which the excessively compensated legislative arm of government has scheduled its various frequent holidays for the legislative sitting period as stipulated by the National Assembly legislative calendar year.
This is coming to the fore after it was realized that the senate still has a lot of ground to cover after resuming form its 7-week long annual recess.
It is shown in reports from the various senatorial districts which revealed that most constituents, stakeholders, and the general electorates are already expressing worry that the frequent vacations by the senate especially in recent times, are beginning to affect the quality and volume of their lawmaking business.
The outstanding volume of legislative work expected to be given much attention to by the legislature have been listed to include oversight jobs and parliamentary deliberations on the Constitution Amendment Bill 2013; the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB); the Electoral Act (Amendments) Bill 2013; the Appropriation Bill 2014; the Nigerian Communication Commission Appropriation Bill 2013; the Nigerian Police Reform Trust Fund Appropriation Bill 2013; the Universal Service Provision Fund Appropriation Bill 2013 and the Niger Development Commission (NDDC)
It has also been discovered that out of the 103 days that the senate had only sat for 48 sitting days between May 2, 2013 and Thursday July 25, 2013 before it embarked on annual recess.
It was supposed to conduct plenary business between Thursday May 2, 2013 to Thursday December 19, 2013 according to its remaining legislative calendar.
However, the lawmakers have had within the period of Friday June 7, 2013 to Monday June 24, 2013.
The reports further gave the break as follows; “Following its 7-weeks annual vacation which commenced on Friday July 26, 2013 terminating on Monday September 30, 2013, the senators, according to the legislative calendar, has a total of 62 days beginning fromThursday September 17, 2013 to Thursday December 19, 2013, to round off its sittings for the legislative year 2013. In between this period also, the lawmakers had another 7 days short break on Thursday October 1, 2013 being a National day public holiday, and another 6 days break starting from Friday October 11, 2013 to Friday October 18, 2013 which is for the Eidel-Fitri Muslim festival. The Lawmakers, according to the calendar, are expected to embark on the Christmas and New Year break between Friday December 20, 2013 and resume on Thursday January 14, 2014.
Appropriation Bill 2013 among several reports and adhoc committee reports, it is expected that the senators would cut down on their frequent breaks and holidays and do more legislative works.
Hence, there are insinuations that the senate may not complete its required lawmaking business by the end of its work calendar. Only time will tell if the law makers are not even breaking the laws rather than make them by not completing the scheduled time for their legislative sittings.