FIVE commissions, out of the 11 that the interim government has instituted to effect reforms in state governance, appear to have largely been sidelined whilst the government appears busy with the six commissions. The six commissions on electoral system reforms, police administrative reforms, judiciary reforms, anti-corruption reforms, public administration reforms and constitutional reforms, set up on October 3, 2024, submitted their recommendations between January 15 and February 5, and the national consensus commission has been holding dialogues on the recommendations since Mach 20, involving political parties to forge a consensus. But the government appears unwilling to put an accent on the recommendations of the five commissions on reforms in local government, health affairs, labour issues, women鈥檚 affairs and the media, set up on November 18, 2024, that submitted their recommendations between February 22 and May 4. The consensus commission has involved 30 political parties in dialogues for a consensus on the recommendation of the six commissions whilst the commission has yet to put the recommendations of the five commissions meant to eliminate discrimination in socio-political and economic affairs on the table. This makes the initiative for state governance reforms centre on elections and focus on a political consensus rather than a national consensus.
This is unfortunate. The recommendations of the five commissions so far apparently left ignored are not all bad or something that the government should fight shy of, especially in view that it is the interim government that have instituted the commissions to effect reforms. Besides, many of the recommendations, which appear essential in the furtherance of relevant issues, in some cases, may not need serious political discussions or a consensus forged after discussions with political parties. The commission on local government reforms submitted the recommendation on February 22, proposing two laws to replace five laws. The commission on media reforms on March 22 made 20 broad recommendations, proposing an independent national media commission, a law for journalists鈥� protection and a minimum wage at the entry level. The commission on women鈥檚 affairs reforms on April 19 submitted 433 recommendations, advocating equal property rights, a uniform family code and a permanent women鈥檚 affairs commission. The commission on labour reforms on April 21 submitted its recommendations, proposing a permanent minimum wage commission and wage revision every three years. And, the reforms commission on the health sector on May 4 submitted its recommendations, proposing that primary health care should be a constitutional right.
Besides, some recommendations of the five commissions entail changes in constitutional provisions and this makes dialogues on the recommendations important. An apparent unwillingness of the interim government in dealing with the recommendations of the five commissions at hand may render all that went around them futile.