Departmental Committees are established under the provisions of S.O. No. 216. Its members are nominated by the House Business Committee in consultation with parliamentary parties at the commencement of every Parliament.

A member appointed to a departmental committee at the commencement of a Parliament or at any other time during the term of a Parliament shall, unless the House otherwise resolves, serve for the term of that Parliament.

The mandate of Departmental Committees in respect of the subject matter assigned under the Second Schedule of these Standing Orders shall only be exercised within the limits contemplated under Part 1 of the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution.

(5) The functions of a Departmental Committee shall be to-

• investigate, inquire into, and report on all matters relating to the mandate, management, activities, administration, operations and estimates of the assigned Ministries and departments;
• study the programme and policy objectives of Ministries and departments and the effectiveness of the implementation;
• study and review all legislation referred to it;
• study, assess and analyze the relative success of the Ministries and departments as measured by the results obtained as compared with their stated objectives;
• investigate and inquire into all matters relating to the assigned Ministries and departments as they may deem necessary, and as may be referred to them by the House;
• to vet and report on all appointments where the Constitution or any law requires the National Assembly to approve, except those under Standing Order 204 (Committee on Appointments) ; and
• make reports and recommendations to the House as often as possible, including recommendation of proposed legislation.