An Examination of the Qualities of Committee Clerks on Committees’ Performances in the Nigerian 8th Senate.

Abstract

The title of this dissertation is an examination of the qualities of committee clerks on committees’ performances in the Nigerian 8th Senate. This study examined the extent to which the qualities of committee clerks can help to add values to the performances of the legislative committees. The specific objectives of the study included: to examine educational qualifications of committee clerks to improving the performances of the committees; to ascertain the relevance of the experiences of the committee clerks in improving the performances of the committees; and to find out whether or not the training and retraining of committee clerks have effects on committees’ performances. This study is necessary in justifying the significance of committee clerks on legislation for the good of the masses. The study adopted secondary and primary sources of data collection. Secondary data were collected on the educational qualifications, training and retraining of committee clerks from the Director/Clerk of Committees of the Senate Directorate. The primary data were collected through internal sources from senators and committee clerks themselves on the influence of educational qualifications, experiences, training and retraining of committee clerks on committees’ performances. External opinions were also obtained through primary sources from MDAs and NGOs/CSOs or citizens to find out if there will be counter factual evidences to responses obtained through internal sources. The simple percentage was used to analyze personal data of respondents and mean scores used to analyze their responses on the research questionnaire. Findings revealed that relevant qualities of committee clerks in legislative practices/procedure like sound education, cognate experiences, and skills acquired from training and retraining are indispensable to achieving improved performances of committees’ activities. It showed that committee clerks’ qualities contributed to improved performances of the Nigerian 8th senate committees’ activities such as the numbers of bills considered or passed, numbers of public hearings and oversight visits conducted. The study recommended possession of master’s degree certificates in legislative related disciplines for the appointment of committee clerks for solving rejection of committees’ reports in the plenary, extension of retirement age to 65 years and 40 years in service from the present 60 years and 35 years respectively for the staff of National Assembly. This will help in retaining the experienced and skilled committee clerks for achieving succession plan; and that staff on directorate cadres from grade levels 15 and above who should have also spent above 15 years in legislative service should be given priorities in appointing them as committee clerks. Adequate legislative experiences of committee clerks in this regard will help in solving some committees’ challenges caused through intervening variables like inadequate facilities, difficult personalities of some committees’ members and the likes. It also recommended provision of adequate funds through appropriations for training and retraining of committee clerks which should be thoroughly monitored by putting in place a workable mechanism to achieving the judicious use of the funds. This will help trained and retrained committee clerks in making positive effects or impacts on committees’ performances.