As a well trained journalist on Democracy and Governance related issues, I had tried hard to seek for the right process to be followed and also made public for all participants (both Yes & No folks) to actively participate in Anioma State Creation's Public Hearing, because we are in a democracy.
Based on my past experience and training, as well as to keep my media engagements and records straight, so as to be able to sleep well thereafter, hence, this is the reason for this brief post.
There are vital steps to be taken by any Nation's National Assembly before announcing a public hearing over any intended bill. These steps below must be followed:
1. Drafts the bill: The relevant committee or ministry prepares the bill, considering stakeholder inputs and policy implications.
2. Reviews and debates: The bill is reviewed, debated, and possibly amended by the assembly's committees and plenary.
3. Stakeholder consultations: Informal consultations with key stakeholders, experts, and interest groups may occur.
4. Committee scrutiny: The bill is scrutinized by a specific committee, which may hold private hearings or meetings.
5. Approval for public hearing: The assembly decides to hold a public hearing, inviting citizens and stakeholders to provide feedback.
This process ensures the bill is thoroughly examined before the announcement for public hearing.
From day one, I heard that there is a move by a Senator for the creation of Anioma State, I was over happy and got ready to actively engage, and demanded for its draft bill, I wrote many online posts asking for the draft bill, set same to various WhatsApp groups where many active political actor were actively involved in, yet got zero response.
When I heard via media reports that the bill for Anioma State Creation had passed its first ready, I commenced a second round of demanding for Anioma State Creation's draft bill, none responded, aside an invitation from an Asaba political chieftain, who invited me over to his place, asked what I meant about my online agitations, I explained how all I wanted was for the best interest of democracy and governance, though, his questions cum demands for answers about my move, style, approach, and membership of my team, were responses I never saw how such demands and answers to him fits into my request for Anioma State Creation's draft bill, in any means or standards related to an active citizen's request for a copy of a draft bill he is particularly interested in, wants to meaningfully engage and get involved into.
I got totally disconnected from the whole engagements once it became obviously clear that intelligent, independent active citizens interested in Anioma State Creation are systematically side lined from their democratic rights of active engagement into public decision-making process with reference to Anioma State Creation.
How can making public and available to active citizens, the draft bill on Anioma State Creation an impossible task, I ask, of all the senators, who, we were told had voted for Anioma State Creation, was it not copies of the draft bill, they were engaged with? Or were they approached with words of mouth? If there were reviews and debated at the National Assembly, was it not with copies of the draft bill? Was it done with words of mouth? At the Assembly’s committee level and at the point of public hearing approval and announcement, where was the draft bill? Was the draft bill available at these points and occasions?
My deep disturbing concern is, why is an important public document like a draft bill on Anioma State Creation never in the public domain, again, why is it that, when active citizens demand for it, the draft bill evaporates into thin air?
Worst of all is that two weeks to the public hearing at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, active citizens ready to engage, don't have any clear cut public information about public hearing's venue; what is needed to be done at the venue and how; all these are vital public information for crying out loud, democratic exercises are never cult-like folowing nor hard to reach/get engagements.
As at five days to Uyo's public hearing, the above information are yet public, even, as at yesterday, there were no websites nor social media platforms where these information were published or posted, this reality is undemocratic, hence, my huge disconnect from the entire process, as I wonder thus, with what democratic document or instrument will those going to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, use to engage the public hearing Proceedings, what sections of the draft bill on Anioma State Creation Bill are they going there to be in support with; which parts of the draft bill are they also not comfortable with, indeed, this is undemocratic.
I wish to ask (the over 200 technical committee members enlisted, as stakeholders & members of Uyo's public hearing) if they had seen copies of the draft bill on Anioma State Creation? If yes, why had they not made it public to various constituencies from where they were selected for feedback inputs from these constituencies?
Truly speaking, the only reason for public hearing is a democratic opportunity for active citizens, stakeholders, organisations, and others to engage the contents of the draft bill, then I ask, how can they engage a draft bill that is not at their disposal at the public hearing?
TO BE CONTINUED...........
Okonta Emeka Okelum is an online journalist, social analyst, governance activist, sustainable development enthusiast, and grassroot community development champion, with special focus on governance, democracy, rule of law, politics, human rights, and development in Nigeria.
