Indecorum at public hearings

THE culture of public hearings conducted by the parliament constitutes an integral part of the mechanisms for gauging the vibrancy of democracy. It buoys democracy by showing the level of transparency and accountability in the conduct of government business, as public officials are made to give an account of their stewardship in the public glare, and before local and global audiences. Sadly, stakeholders, including top government functionaries and lawmakers in the country, are now making a mockery of such a strategic and fundamental platform. They are deploying public hearings to propagate and orchestrate mundane issues, settle personal scores, and gloat before the cameras without a wink of decorum and civility.  The confrontation between the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige, and a member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Abiodun James Faleke, was the latest in the serial violations of public hearings.

Similar uncouth behaviours have characterised the ongoing inquest by the parliament into the gross misdeeds in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The hearing featured the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio and a former Managing Director of the NDDC, Joi Nunieh, as well as the incumbent head of its Interim Management Team (IMT), Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei. On each occasion, rather than concentrating on the crux of the matter, the participants decided to embark on ego trips, launching tirades based on personal lives, including marital issues and emotions.

The hearing conducted by the House ad hoc committee on the arbitrary breach of presidential directives on the suspension of top management and executive members of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and other government agencies by the Labour minister did not fare better. Making light of grave allegations of misdeeds and malfeasance, Dr. Ngige and Honourable Faleke engaged in name calling, residence shaming, bragging about electoral worth and other absurdities best reserved for a stage performance. Critical issues became relegated, as irrelevant questions and answers predominated. Truth be told, the lawmakers cannot be absolved from the wave of absurdities that characterised the recent public hearings. In a seeming deliberate effort to save face, they often truncated submissios by officials of the executive ready to speak on misdeeds in public offices. For example, the chairman of the committee that conducted the public hearing on the NDDC, Honourable Thomas Ereyitomi, abruptly interrupted the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs when he tried to volunteer relevant information. He quipped: “Honourable minister, that’s ok.”

It is totally uncouth for a minister to say that as a Victoria Island boy, he was superior to a Mushin boy. Such a choice of language does not belong in serious gatherings. By the way, was the Minister of Labour and Productivity suggesting that residents of Mushin, Lagos State, are second class citizens? And what did he hope to gain by saying that he was older than the House Committee members? Could he have made such declarations in the court of law? Why subject the legislature to such ridicule? Public officials owe citizens the cardinal duty of rendering an account of how they manage state resources and preserve institutions, especially on cases of infractions, irresponsible conduct and behaviours, abuse of public trust and outright criminality. This duty should not be trivialised.

To say the least, the proclivity for indulging in frivolities at public hearings demeans individuals, injures the spirit of democracy, impugns the integrity of the country and amounts to gross disrespect for taxpayers. The shameful conduct depicts outright lack of understanding of the seriousness attached to oversight functions by the parliament. Governance is a serious business, and hearings consumes huge public funds. Those who undermine the mechanism for accountability and transparency should have a place in the hall of infamy to serve as a deterrent to other potential deviants.

Eminent persons in the United States, Europe, Asia and other parts of the world do not gloat when they undergo rigorous inquiry and scrutiny by the legislative arm of government over various allegations on state matters. For instance, in October 2015, the then United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton faced eleven hours of questioning before the House Select Committee on Benghazi. In recent times, individuals like the United States Attorney General, William Barr, have also appeared before the parliament to answer tough questions. They do not have the luxury of denigrating democratic institutions or resorting to inanities and ego trips. The trivialisation of public hearings must stop.

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