Lagos — Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, has warned chairmen and members of the various standing committees against fraudulent activities in the cause of their oversight functions.

Bankole said any member found guilty would be sanctioned in accordance with the House rules.

The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Eziuche Ubani told newsmen in Abuja that Bankole had taken exception to Committees soliciting for gratification from Ministries and Departmental Agencies.

Ubani said that any member who "gets involved in any unlawful act " would bear the consequences.

He said that the Speaker had warned the chairmen so that in this era of accountability and probity, the House would not tolerate their involvement in any unlawful act or any financial misappropriation in the cause of their oversight functions.

"We spoke that frankly in the House and we agreed. The job now is for the committees to come up with their initiatives and then work to deliver them," Ubani said.

The lawmaker said the committees were also charged to deliver because they now had an enabling environment to work. He said that there would soon be a work plan for the year for the committees to enable them work.

Ubani, (PDP-Abia) said the Speaker had directed all Committee Chairmen to submit periodic reports to the office of the House leader, Chief Tunde Akogun to enable the Speaker keep abreast with their day to day oversight functions.

On the crisis in Zimbabwe, Ubani applauded President Umaru Yar'Adua for the quick intervention of Federal Government shortly after the House passed a motion, but regretted that the Federal Government acted a little bit late.

He advised the executive arm to be pro-active in dealing with such issues, especially considering the fact that the lives of millions of people, especially women and children were involved.

Also speaking at the briefing, the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Mr Ita Enang said that his committee had proposed an additional seven standing committees to the existing 75 making it a total of 82 standing committees.

He, however, said the seven new committees, which would be presented at the plenary session on Wednesday July 2, would be subjected to the approval of the House.

Enang (PDP-Akwa-Ibom), said his committee would also present a parliamentary calendar to the House for approval to enable members know the period of various holidays and parliamentary recesses as well as how many days they were supposed to sit in a legislative year.

"For avoidance of doubt, and also to forestall arguments that members do not meet the 181 mandatory sitting days, his committee has recommended in the new calendar that the House has to sit for 200 days in a legislative year," he added.