The Roles of the Committee System in Enhancing Legislative Efficiency in Nigeria: The Case of Kwara State House of Assembly

The need for efficiency in the performance of the myriad of legislative and other related functions, with which the modern assemblies are saddled, makes the utility of the committee system indispensable to modern legislatures. In almost all forms of democracy, where representative legislatures are tolerated, committees are always made integral part of the internal operational mechanism. However, the way and extent to which the legislatures of various states participate and shape policy making vary from state to state. The nature and power of the legislatures equally have implication for the operation of the committees in various states of the world. Hence, this study examines the extent of effectiveness of legislative committees in Nigeria. The committees of the Kwara State House of Assembly serve as laboratory for the purpose of testing the degree of efficiency of the body. The study discovers that legislative committees are relevant and useful as they enhance the efficiency of their parent body (whole house). Legislative committees in Nigeria are, however, operating under certain constraints which, if removed, will further enhance their performance.