By Ogar Monday; House of Assembly Correspondent
The Cross River State House of Assembly has reconstituted its Committees for the 2nd Legislative year.
This was disclosed in a press release by Azogor Ideba, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) of Hon. John Gaul Lebo, Speaker Cross River State House of Assembly.
According to the release, seven members retained their chairmanship of the Committees as was previously constituted, while 12 others were assigned new Committees.
Hon. Eteng Jones was reassigned Chairman of Finance & Appropriation Committee; Hon. Steven Ukpukpen retained Public Accounts while the position of Hon. Idagu Agaji previously in-charge of Works and Infrastructure was not affected either by the new shake up.
Other House Committee Chairmen who retained previously assigned Committees include Hon. Fred Osim, Commerce, Industry & Public Private Partnership; Hon. Itam Abang, Education; Hon. Ekpo Bassey, Health Services; and Hon. Peter Odey, International Donor support & SDGs.
There was slight modification in the new arrangement as some Committees were merged with others.
Thus, Youths and Sports which previously stood as Committee and is merged with Information & ICT while the Committee on Women Affairs, Social Welfare and Gender Development was merged with Health Services.
In the new arrangement, Hon. Ogbor Ogbor is now the Chairman House Services and Security, Hon. Nelson Ofem is in-charge of Judiciary, Public Service Matters, Public Petitions and Conflict Resolution; Hon. Hilary Bisong Chairs Transport & Marine Services while Hon. Elizabeth Ironbar takes over from Hon. Efa Esua at Petroleum and Environment Committee Chairman.
Hon. Efa Esua is now Chairman House Committee on Lands, Housing and New Cities; Hon. Elucate Ekom Chairs Business and Rules; Hon. Matthew Olory takes over from Hon. Nelson Ofem at Information, ICT, Youths and Sports while Hon. Christian Achor Agbor replaces Hon. Hilary Bisong at Tourism and Events Management.
Hon. Bassey Akiba is in-charge of Solid Minerals, Hon. Regina Anyogo is Chairman Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters; Hon. Charles Ekpe heads Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources while Hon. Friday Okpechi takes Special Services and Public Utilities.
The selection according to the statement was “For effective service delivery, optimum performance and in line with comparative advantages of members after a critical and extensive performance review of the membership of respective Committees in the first legislative year”.
Members of the selection Committee were Hon. John Gaul Lebo, Speaker and Chairman, Hon. Joseph Bassey, Vice Chairman; Hon. Moses Ucheche, Hon. Simon Nkoro, Hon. Okon Ephraim and Hon. Ogana Lukpata are members.