Parliament : How Effective Are Oral Questions?

Five cabinet ministers on March 25, 2022 answered questions from Members of the National Assembly during a question time plenary sitting of the House concerning some activities of their ministries.
The Question time plenary sittings of both the National Assembly and the Senate have become interesting moments in the two Houses of Parliament during which the people’s representatives address the worries of the population in different domains and do not seek only answers but corrective actions from the competent ministers. This is in respect of Section 35 of the Constitution which provides that, “The Parliament shall control government action through oral or written questions and by setting up committees of inquiry with specific terms of reference. The Government shall subject to the imperatives of national defence, the security of the State or the secrecy of criminal investigation, furnish any explanations and information to Parliament. During each ordinary session, special sitting shall be set aside each week for Question Time.”
For over the years, Question time plenary sittings in Parliament dedicated to oral questions have been respected in compliance with the Constitution and the Standing Orders of the two Houses of Parliament.  Worries Parliamentarians address to the members of government range from education, societal issues, managing of some projects and some of government policies. They are also issues related to defence, security, culture, human rights, water supply and electricity supply and the general welfare of the population.
The question that remains to be answered is the effectiveness of the oral questions put to members of government.  The way the plenary sitting is tailored, there is no room for follow up questions. This means the members of government only provide answers to the questions put to them and furthe...