BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
The National Parliament has considered and passed three Bills during the final sitting for 2025, and the formal conclusion of the Third Meeting of the Twelfth Parliament yesterday.
The Third Meeting commenced on Thursday, 24 April 2025, and concluded on Wednesday, 17th December 2025, bringing the total number of sitting days to 50, inclusive.
The three Bills considered and passed include the Special Economic Zone Bill 2024, the National Building Standards Bill 2025, and the Public Service Bill 2025.
In addition, three Appropriation Bills that were presented, debated, and approved are; the 2025 Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2025, the 2024 Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2025, and the 2026 Appropriation Bill 2025.
The Speaker of the National Parliament, Patteson J. Oti, said that the work of Standing Committees’ inquiries and reports during the Meeting relate solely to the six Bills considered by the House.
He said the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) each conducted three inquiries and tabled three reports, respectively.
He said that the Public Expenditure Committee conducted one inquiry, which was not completed; hence, no report was tabled, with several deliberative meetings held by other Standing Committees, with no further inquiries were undertaken, and no reports were presented to the House.
He said that no Private Members’ Business was introduced during the Third Meeting.
The Speaker of Parliament said that there remains a scope for greater productivity, particularly in relation to the oversight role of Standing Committees.
He emphasised the importance of conducting more inquiries into matters of public interest and tabling reports for consideration by the House, to improve the quality of life of citizens.
He highlighted that Statements by Ministers were underutilised, seeing that Ministers are accountable to the people through Parliament by reporting on actions and decisions taken within their portfolios.
The Speaker of Parliament also expressed hope that future meetings will see increased use of ministerial statements, a higher number of committee inquiries and reports, and the introduction of Private Members’ Business going forward.
He also encouraged the adoption of a parliamentary sitting calendar to enhance planning and operational efficiency.
The Speaker conveyed his sincere appreciation to all Members for their contributions to the deliberations of the House throughout the Third Meeting, despite these observations.
He expressed his hope that the coming year will bring renewed unity, peace, and prosperity to all communities across the country.
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