Speaker dissolves all House of Reps ad hoc committees

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has ordered the immediate termination of all ad hoc committees in the chamber, directing them to stop operations with effect from August 28, 2026.

The directive was conveyed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Clerk of the House, Sidi Ibrahim, to chairmen and members of the affected committees.

Ibrahim said the Speaker’s decision followed the expiration of the deadlines given to the committees to complete their assignments and submit their reports.

“I am directed by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, to inform all Honourable Members that all Ad Hoc Committees of the House stand dissolved with immediate effect,” the statement read.

According to the clerk, the committees had earlier been reminded to conclude their respective assignments within the approved timeframe.

He said only two committees requested additional time and were granted a two-week extension, which had also expired.

Ibrahim explained that ad hoc committees were created to undertake specific assignments within defined periods and were not designed to operate indefinitely.

“For the avoidance of doubt, honourable members are reminded that ad hoc committees are temporary committees of the house established for specific and time-bound mandates,” he said.

“They are not intended to subsist indefinitely beyond the purpose and period for which they were constituted.”

The clerk also referred to Order 18, Rule 11, Paragraph 5 of the House Standing Orders, which sets limits for the submission of committee reports.

“In accordance with Order 18, Rule 11, Paragraph 5, of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives, which provides for ‘limitations as to time of reports’, committees are required to submit their reports within the time allotted,” Ibrahim said.

He noted that the affected committees had gone beyond the periods approved for their assignments, making their continued operation impossible.

“Having exceeded the time allotted, the continued existence of the ad hoc committees is no longer tenable,” he said.

The directive stated that the dissolution took effect from Friday, August 28, and instructed members to immediately discontinue any activities being conducted under the dissolved committees.

“Consequently, with effect from Friday 28th August 2026, all ad hoc committees of the house stand dissolved, and activities being carried out in the name of such committees shall cease forthwith,” the clerk said.

Chairmen of the committees were further directed to submit all pending reports, working documents, records and other materials relating to their assignments to the Clerk’s office for safekeeping.