The House of Representatives is set to hold digital plenary as the National Assembly is set to resume on Tuesday.
Investigation reveals that several electronic gadgets have been installed in the chambers to aid legislative proceedings.
The National Assembly had embarked on two months’ annual recess on July 23, 2020, and was expected to resume on September 15, 2020.
However, the parliament later postpones resumption till Sept 29 without giving any reason for that.
An investigation later revealed that multimedia devices were being installed and test-run in the chamber.
It was also observed on Wednesday that a monitor had been attached to each of the seats on the floor of the House.
The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila is expected to inspect the facilities today (Friday), in an attempt to assess the readiness of the devices ahead of the resumption.
A top official of the House, who spoke on the condition of anonymity with ThePunch as he was not authorized to speak on the facilities, explained their functions.
The source disclosed that, “It is a touch screen. On the touch screen, you have the order paper, name, constituency and party of the member speaking currently; you will have copies of the Constitution, Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act and, Standing Rules, among others, from where you can made quick references.
“Most importantly, you can vote electronically. By the time the presiding officer says vote, three icons will come up – yes, no and abstain. You will have a limited time, while the timer counts down. Once it ends, the result will be displayed.
“Now, if a member wants to talk, instead of raising their hands, you will press a button and it will alert the presiding officer on his system. He will right there click on who to speak.”
Presently, the lawmakers attend session armed with copies of the Constitution and other documents, while the secretariat and sergeants-at-arms usually duplicate pother materials and distribute hard copies to members.
The Director of Information for the National Assembly, Rawlings Agada, while speaking on the installations, said he could not tell if the project was part of the planned renovation and reconstruction of the chambers as included in the 2020 Appropriation Act.
₦37bn had earlier been budgeted for the planned renovation, which had generated criticism from Nigerians. However, the cost was slashed by the Federal Government by 75% to ₦9.25bn during the downward review of the 2020 budget due to COVID-19 pandemic and fall in oil prices.
Agada added that the project was initiated by the House, and inspired by the Speaker as part of his reforms.
He noted that though the parliament often gets a lump sum to finance its budget, the fund is usually divided among the National Assembly Management, the Senate and the House.
He said, “Due to the recent change of guard (appointment of a new clerk) and the fact that the pandemic took a larger part of this year, I don’t know the stage of the implementation of the 2020 budget. There are in-house projects undertaken by each chamber; the Committee on Services of each chamber can undertake such projects.
“The House had plans and the Speaker too had his eyes on it when he came on board, and it was in his inaugural address. Just like the purchase of vehicles, it comes from their individual budgets. It is within their own limits to do anything they have planned for within their budget. Outside the general repair work, there are other palliative repairs that are done.
“Don’t forget the property we are managing is not our own. Just like the Supreme Court, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, the National Stadium (before now) and the Presidential Villa, they are all national edifices that are under the Federal Capital Development Authority.”
On his part, the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Benjamin Kalu, described the facility as one of the best in the world.
Gbajabiamila on July 2, 2019, had said voting by members of the chamber on serious legislation would become electronic as the e-voting system would be introduced as part introduced as part of the reforms to be initiated by his leadership.
