Parliament houses 275 frustrated MPs - Kan Dapaah

Source: myjoyonline.com  -  A former Chairman of Parliament's Accounts Committee says the House in which he serves, is home to 275 "unhappy and frustrated Members of Parliament."

Kan Dapaah is wondering why there has to be 275 MPs in that House when less than 100 MPs can easily do the job and even less are known to speak publicly on the floor anyway.

He would rather wish the number of MPs be reduced to either 104 or 125, numbers the state could easily resource and take care of.

With the status-quo, Kan Dapaah said the 275 MPs are "poorly remunerated, have no secretariat, no supporting staff but always under attack from constituents who see them as operating a micro finance company."

Kan Dapaah made the point in his address at the Institute of Economic Affairs organised Corruption conference held in Accra, Tuesday.

He was speaking on how best Parliament can help in the fight against corruption. With the status quo, the MP for Afigya Sekyere West said Parliament is in no position to help fight corruption in the country.

He said Parliament cannot fight corruption because the "key accountability mechanism has been rendered ineffective."

The Accountant said the fortified powers of the Executive have only weakened the executive.

He cited the age-long constitutional arrangement of appointing 50 percent MPs into the executive as one of the key challenges facing the House.

Kan Dapaah said for an MP who is hoping to be appointed into ministerial position would never have the courage to criticize the executive when it goes wrong.

"There is too much partisanship in Parliament," he queried.

MPs are more interested in issues that concern their party than the ones that concern the nation and when there is a conflict between the interest of the party and that of the nation, the MP will sacrifice the country in the interest of the party, he stated.

Kan Dapaah also called for a change in the voice votes in Parliament which he said breeds sycophancy.

"With voice vote, an MP can vote to kill his own mother," he stated adding we must "put faces to the votes so that we can put the fear of God in the MPs during voting.

The Conference had President of the Central University College, Prof Kwasi Yankah deliver a no-holes-barred address which named and shamed past and present public officials for their corrupt acts.

Former Commissioner of CHRAJ Justice Emile Short also shared his experiences on how CHRAJ can best help in the fight against corruption.