Steve Agbota
The Nigeria Civil Society Organisation (CSO) community has commended the decision of the House of Representatives to subject the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill to a public hearing in furtherance of the need to protect the right of citizens to contribute to lawmaking.
According to a statement issued and signed by 65 members of the organisation, harnessing the inputs of critical stakeholders and the Nigerian people, for whom the bill is proposed, gives it the necessary legitimacy, adding that the decision, as announced by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, who is also one of the sponsors of the Bill, is an acknowledgment of the sincere concerns generated by the Bill.
The CSO added: “Soliciting public inputs therefore responds to the demands to subject the Bill to public scrutiny given its sensitivity and impact on constitutionally guaranteed rights, rule of law, institutional interdependence and national security. Public scrutiny can only be achieved through broad based engagements during public hearings and stakeholder consultations.”
The CSO community noted that the purpose of a public hearing is to ensure that there is free exchange of ideas and opinions, effective information dissemination, and consideration of expert opinions in the process of lawmaking for a more effective, responsive, and robust legislation.
“However, the CSO community acknowledges the imperative of strict adherence to the guidelines on physical distancing and other preventive measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Enforcing these guidelines therefore requires a review of the format for the public hearing and all other forms of citizen engagement to enrich the Bill,” the statement added.
It added, “It is pertinent to implore that the review of legislative process formats must adhere to the principles of transparency, accessibility, inclusivity and clarity to ensure the robust public participation of citizens”.
As the House of Representatives considers new modalities for the public hearing on the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, the CSO has also made some recommendations to promote public participation, including providing information on the committee responsible for the coordination of public hearing. The House of Representatives should provide clarity on the committee(s) entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating the public hearing to ensure effective engagement with citizens and stakeholders. This includes the composition of the committee including the gender and geo-political zone spread and the terms of reference of the committee.
“Communicate a practical schedule for public engagement on the Bill: The House of Reps should generate and share a schedule and guidelines for public engagement on the Bill. This is to ensure that the public hearing and stakeholder consultations are held within a reasonable time frame. The timetable and guidelines should highlight the mode, structure, time, and levels of engagement to ensure effective participation of citizens and stakeholders.