Speaker of Parliament, Sir Patterson Oti, has dismissed rumours that Bills can bypass Parliamentary Standing Committees and be tabled directly in Parliament for debate and scrutiny.
Sir Oti clarified this following the recent resignation of nine committee chairpersons, while another vacated the role after being appointed as a Minister of the Crown.
He stressed that Parliament cannot effectively carry out its responsibilities without the committees in place.
“These committees play a critical oversight role. They investigate, engage with stakeholders and report back to Parliament,” he said.
“When these mechanisms are absent, accountability is weakened. Members are answerable to the public, and without committees, that accountability is compromised.”
Sir Oti further emphasised that there is no provision under the Standing Orders to bypass the established legislative process.
“There is no way to shortcut the system. You must comply with the full process—Bills must be scrutinised, stakeholders consulted, and proper procedures followed before they are tabled,” he said.
“If the Bills and Legislation Committee does not exist, then the Government effectively has no parliamentary mechanism to scrutinise legislation.”
He said the absence of functioning committees poses a serious challenge to governance and parliamentary oversight.
The 10 Parliamentary Standing Committees are:
- Bills and Legislation Committee
- Constitution Review Committee
- Education and Human Resources Training Committee
- Environmental and Conservation Committee
- Foreign Relations Committee
- Health and Medical Services Committee
- Parliamentary House Committee
- Police, National Security and Correctional Services Committee
- Public Accounts Committee
- Public Expenditure Committee
