COVID-19: Speaker appoints Onuigbo as Deputy Committee Chairman

The Honourable Member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia, North/South Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Sam Onuigbo was appointed by the Speaker House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila to serve in the Committee as the Deputy Chairman Ad Hoc Committee on COVID-19.

The honourable member was appointed yesterday being Tuesday, May 19, 2020. The 18-man committee was inaugurated by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, Nigeria.

The committee was charged with the task to ensure that Nigeria’s legislative response to the Coronavirus pandemic is up to par in all aspect in the fight against the pandemic, the Committee is also expected to form an alliance with the presidential Task Force on Covid-19, including relevant Ministries, Agencies, Private Sector, and the Civil Organizations, in executing Nigeria’s multi-pronged approach towards addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.

The speaker while inaugurating the Committee encouraged and charged the members of the committee to give in their very best and everything they have to ensure they carry out their service and to bear in mind that their efforts will go a long way in easing the health, economic and social effects of the pandemic on the ordinary Nigerians.

Also, the Speaker reminded the members that “nothing defines a nation more than how each of its leaders and its people rise in one accord to tackle or respond to seismic crises that manifest, often without warning, and they must always be ready to confront such crises together as one without giving in to any form of differences that could impede their unified action towards achieving the same goal as long as it will bring serenity to all involved, the Speaker then urged them to bear in mind that the committee is special and of utmost importance in finding the lea way out of the pandemic at this crucial time hence there is a need for them to take their duties seriously.

The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Haruna Msheila, speaking, pledged that the Committee will be totally committed to the task of delivering its mandate, and thanked the Speaker for his consistent efforts and for always being at the forefront of intervening on issues that affect the health and wellbeing of Nigerians at large.

The Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Rt. Hon. Sam Onuigbo, in his vote of thanks, thanked everyone present and expressed so much gratitude for the opportunity granted to him to serve the country in such a time of uncertainty which requires the best of minds and efforts by every Nigerian in the fight against the pandemic. He also commended the Speaker for exercising great leadership at this very critical time in the lives of Nigerians, and assured the Speaker that the Committee will work assiduously in a focused, determined, persevering, collaborative and coordinated manner, to deliver the best of its assigned duties to the people of Nigeria.