Media Rights Agenda (MRA) is among 39 civil society organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria that have criticised members of the National Assembly for abandoning their legislative and oversight responsibilities at a time when critical issues, including reports and outcomes of investigative hearings, required their prompt attention
The CSOs noted with regret that the lawmakers appear reluctant to attend to their legislative functions after sitting for only 149 days so far (out of 216 days as prescribed by the constitution), having observed sundry holidays including a 7-week coronavirus pandemic break.
The CSOs said in a statement, “Many had thought that owing to the intermittent closure of the parliament in the wake of the pandemic and given the critical issues requiring legislative attention, that the lawmakers could have devised means of extending its plenary sittings and meeting the constitutionally-mandated 181 sitting days in a legislative year given the disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
They added that it was shocking to wake up to the August 19, 2020 directive by the leadership of the House of Representatives suspending all legislative activities including those investigative hearings that had captivated the nation. The House leadership had allegedly relied on the established global practice of suspending legislative activities while the institution of the legislature is on break.
The CSOs argued that, given the importance of the hearings and the limited time available for the National Assembly to conduct reforms in nation’s electoral laws, review the Constitution, consider the 2021 Appropriation Bill, and attend to numerous other pending legislative assignments, there was no justification or reason given for the illogical step taken by the House of Representatives to suspend committee activities.
The groups noted that prior to and during the vacation, the lawmakers were conducting very important investigative hearings into the mismanagement of public funds by various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government as well as into the huge Chinese loans and their terms, among others. They added that citizens who were rattled by the revelations coming out of those hearings were waiting with keen interest for their logical conclusions and outcomes and as a result, it was good to see these activities continue even into the vacation of the lawmakers.
Regrettably, the CSOs noted that the non-sitting of the lawmakers was not in the interest of the people at a time when their “role is more critical than ever before, not only to join the Executive in finding solutions to the unprecedented challenges facing the country but indeed to also ensure that there is no Executive overreach as emergency powers are being invoked to implement a range of measures, ostensibly to check the spread of the Coronavirus in Nigeria.”
The CSOs urged the House leadership to treat these as matters of national and public importance with the required urgency and allow various committees to carry on with legislative and oversight activities, including concluding the suspended investigative hearings.
They also advised the House to ensure that the reports and outcomes of the investigative hearings are made publicly available and that all those found culpable are brought to justice.
While noting that adequate information is already available in the public domain, the CSOs appealed to anti-corruption agencies to live up to their responsibilities by following up on the investigative hearings to gather actionable evidence to prosecute those who have violated various anti-corruption laws and regulations.
The civil society organisations that issued the statement include Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project (SERAP), BudgiT Foundation, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Centre for Democratic Research and Training (CRDDERT), Zero-Corruption Coalition (ZCC) and Accountability Maternal New-born and Child Health in Nigeria (AMHiN).
Others are Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Zero-Corruption Coalition (ZCC), Partners on Electoral Reform, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, PLAC, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Say NO Campaign-Nigeria, National Procurement Watch Platform, Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civil Education (CHRICED), Global Rights, Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE), Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) and Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria.
The rest are African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre, Community Life Project, Nigerian Feminist Forum, Alliances for Africa, Spaces for Change, Nigerian Women Trust Fund and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa.
Others are State of the Union (SOTU), Order Paper, Femi Falana Chamber, HEDA Resource Centre and Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution.
