PARTICIPATORY COMMUNICATION IN PARLIAMENT-CONSTITUENTS RELATIONS: A STUDY OF THE VOICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS IN THE KADUNA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

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Author

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Department of Arts

Over the years scholars have researched this concept and came to an understanding that democracy is inextricable from communication. Communication enhances democracy, facilitates interaction, inclusiveness and participation engendering representative democracy but this is not the case with Kaduna in particular. Therefore, this study examines the nature of the relationship between the parliament and constituents of the Kaduna State‘s House of Assembly. It studies the communication pattern between members of parliament and their constituents and attempts to show how the concerns and voice of the people are articulated side-by-side the accountability mechanisms between the people and their representatives. This research is based on the normative theory of participatory development communication known as the multiplicity paradigm. The study was a survey research method that made use of both quantitative and qualitative instruments namely the questionnaire and in-depth interviews techniques. The descriptive method was employed in analyzing data in this study for easy comprehension. In analyzing the data, SPSS version 20 was used. A theoretical mean of 3.0 was taken as a criterion to judge the mean for the items in the structured questionnaire having five Likert format. From the analyses of the data and information, the study found that there are participatory communication mechanisms that could be used to enhance participatory legislation. However, the challenge to this has been largely the exclusion of the people from this process of participation thereby rendering the mechanism ineffective. The study recommended that, there should an increase of inclusion and access to existing participatory communication channels in the Assembly like constituency meetings, including other participatory communication channels like the traditional communication channels of folklores, dances etc. This in turn would not only legitimize the legislative process, it engenders voice and accountability but also lead to sustainable democratic development in the long run. Thus, the study advanced the use of communication model which stirs and stimulates representative participation in the legislative process and improves the inclusiveness of the people‘s voices in the process and holds representatives accountable.