The 3rd Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio, Hon. Lukia Nakadama, has revealed plans to streamline ministerial attendance in Parliament through the introduction of a roster system aimed at improving efficiency and accountability in government business.
Nakadama made the remarks on Monday while speaking to the media shortly after appearing before the Committee on Appointments for vetting as a presidential nominee for a ministerial position.
The Committee on Appointments, chaired by Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth Oboth, has commenced the vetting of presidential nominees, an exercise expected to run until Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
Under Rule 173 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, the committee is mandated to approve nominees appointed by the President in accordance with the Constitution.
According to Nakadama, the delays in parliamentary work have partly been caused by ministers failing to attend sessions as expected.
She noted that Parliament plays a critical oversight and legislative role, requiring ministers to be present to respond to questions, table bills, present reports, and handle other government business in a timely manner.
“As parliamentarians, there are a few things I have been listening to from Members of Parliament that they say we need to change. For example, I have been attending Parliament and ministers are not really attending as expected,” Nakadama said.
To address the challenge, she said government is considering the introduction of a clear attendance roster that will designate ministers required to attend parliamentary sittings to ensure smooth operations and prevent unnecessary delays.
“We are going to come up with a roster for whoever is supposed to attend Parliament so that work does not stall. People have to ask questions, bills have to be tabled, and papers have to be presented,” she added.
The proposed measure is expected to strengthen coordination between Parliament and the Executive, while improving service delivery through faster handling of legislative and oversight responsibilities.
