The National Assembly joint committtee on ICT & Cyber Security on Friday bemoaned the absence of the minister of Science and Technology, Senator Adeleke Momora and the Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa at a public hearing of the committee held in Abuja.
Consequently, the committtee adjourned its next sitting indefinitely, following the absence of critical stakeholders.
Specifically, the committee members noted the Minister and the Director General of NITDA are important stakeholders of the bill, saying their absence was enough reason to adjourn the public hearing pending their availability.
Indeed, a member of the committee, Honourable Ishaka Ibrahim, who moved a motion for adjournment added that apart from absence of key stakeholders, there was no document to peruse at the sitting.
Meanwhile, chairman of the committee, Senator Yakubu Oseni (Kogi Central, APC) while putting the question before the members on whether they should adjourn the public hearing explained that the Minister and the DG reached out to him on their engagement on Friday.
Oseni added that the duo sought for permission from him, saying “as the chairman I graciously granted to them”.
Commenting on absence of documents he said “let it be on record that the fault of not getting documents before now is strictly on you, Honourable members because we in the Senate got the documents.
“The Minister and the DG reached out to me and sought for permission to be away today (Friday)” Oseni added.
