About Committees
Commitee at the National Assembly
Committees are in three classes at the National Assembly of the Gambia, they are, Standing Committees, Select Committees, and Special Select Committees. Except for the Assembly Business Committee, which is normally established and operated as provided in the Standing Order 15. The committees are appointed in accordance with Order 95 to 121 of the Standing Orders.
Membership of Committees
The committee of selections is responsible for the nomination of the members to the committees and approved by the Assembly on a motion tabled by the Selection Committee. Every committee is expected to have balance members of parties, except for the committee of section.
The committee of Selection may nominate the Chairperson of a committee and in the case, a chairperson is not selected by the committee of sections; the committee shall elect its own Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson. However, there are exceptions to the selection of Chairpersons for certain committees such as the chairperson of the Finance and Public Accounts, Public Enterprises and Public Appointment Committee cannot be a Member of the ruling party or a nominated.
A member shall not also be qualified for nomination and election as Chairperson of a select Committee if, at the date of that nomination or election, the member is a Chairperson of another Select Committee and the same applies to a person that is a Chairperson. A member cannot be nominated as Chairperson of a Select or Standing committee if he/she serves as a Chairperson to two committees.
The requirement of membership for committees is that every Member is at least offered a place in one committee. A standing committee is normally consisting of a Chairperson and 6 other members and not more than Nine (9) members in total.