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Constitutionally, the qualifications of person aspiring to enter into parliament is explicitly enshrined in The 1992 Republican constitution article (94) (1) Subject to the provisions of this article, a person shall not be qualified to be a Member of Parliament unless - (a) He is a citizen of Ghana, has attained the age of twenty-one (21) years and is a registered voter; (b) He is resident in the constituency for which he stands as a candidate for election to Parliament or has resided there for a total period of not less than five (5) years out of the ten (10) years immediately preceding the election for which he stands, or he hails from that constituency; and (c) He has paid all his taxes or made arrangements satisfactory to the appropriate authority for the payment of his taxes. The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Ghana, is Ghana�s Premier Public Policy Institute, established in 1989 with a mission to promote good governance, democracy and a free and fair market economy. Massive avouchment for educational threshold for MP�s in Ghana The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has conducted a survey on �Public Perception of Members of Parliament� with support/assistance from National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE). A total of two thousand three hundred and forty-six (2,346) respondents participated in the exercise, drawn from all ten (10) regions of Ghana with ages above sixteen (16). The respondents were asked whether there should be a cut-of-point in terms of academic background to qualify as an MP in Ghana, and if so, what standard should be (being given the option of English proficiency, a High School Certificate, a University Degree or some other level of education). A deluging majority of respondents, some 84%, agreed that MPs should have a minimum level of education. Article 103 stipulates that: (1) Parliament shall appoint standing committees and other committees as may be necessary for the effective discharge of its functions. (2) The standing committees shall be appointed at the first meeting of Parliament after the election of the Speaker and the two (2) Deputy Speakers. (3) Committees of Parliament shall be charged with such functions, including the investigation and inquiry into the activities and administration of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA�s) as parliament may determine; and such investigations and inquiries may extend to proposals for legislation. (4) Every member of Parliament shall be a member of at least one of the standing committees. (5) The composition of the committees shall, as much as possible, reflect the different shades of opinion in Parliament. Of those that considered that there should be a minimum level of education, a significant number of them (67%) responded that the minimum qualification should be a university first degree. The results are perhaps, an acknowledgement of the specialized job undertaken by MPs. Under the Constitution, Ghana�s MPs have an important function in reviewing and debating legislation. In addition, through the various committees of Parliament, they play an integral role in overseeing the work of the executive arm of government, and the operation of Ghana�s institutional machinery in discharging these functions, often in very complex areas of policy and administration, MPs regularly need to able to understand modern dynamic political and economic matters, participate in important and complex policy discussions, and be able to communicate with their counterparts from other foreign countries. A move to impose a minimum education threshold in Ghana would not be out of line with some other African countries. In Uganda, presidential candidates must have a minimum formal education of A-level or its equivalent. In Tanzania, all candidates must be able to read and write proficiently in Kiswahili or English. In Kenya, a person must hold a post secondary school qualification to be nominated as a candidate for election, and a person must possess a university degree to be nominated for important posts such as President or Vice-President. In Nigeria, to be elected to the National Assembly, an individual must have been educated up to, at least, a School Certificate level or its equivalent. It is evident from the results of this survey that Ghanaians appreciate the challenging role of their MPs. The broad level of support reflected in this survey highlights that education levels of their MPs is an important issue to Ghanaians, and one that warrants the government�s attention. The emphasis here is on clause (4) of article (103) which mandates every parliamentarian to belong to at least one standing committee, not just belonging to the committee to add up to the numbers but to make impart in its deliberations. What happens when the MP is supposed to make contributions and he/she is not knowledgeable enough? Again members with specialized skills can make more meaningful contributions than their peers who are less endowed academically and this is very evident when one visits parliament to witness deliberations and proceedings in The House. The cry of many a Ghanaian is that members should at least measure up to a certain standard academically so they can rub shoulders with their foreign counterparts and not just people who can indulge in cacophony, are popular in their constituency, very philanthropic in nature among other things. It�s all good though but backed by a very solid academic background makes it best. We the good people of Ghana are not saying that all members should be professors but then��.. Although one may argue that this cannot be proven scientifically, also those who subscribe to the phenomenon of �Efie Nyansa� which literally translates as Home Sense, that maybe true to an extent but beyond a certain level it stops. This is not an attack on our Honorable Men who are not highly educated though; they can always enroll at the GIMPA�s, Legon mature classes etc to upgrade themselves ASAP. Some MP�s are doing creditable well regardless of their shortfalls on the academic ladder but it is believed that with all those performances, backed by higher education, their performance will be tremendous. We are very much aware of some members who still hold their Middle School. Leaving Certificates (MSLC), �O� & �A� levels but are still doing well, we are just beseeching them to upgrade and fall in line with current trends prevailing elsewhere. Finally we the good people of Ghana are making an innocuous appeal to all stake holding agencies to add their voices to this noble course to strengthen our legislature and make it a powerful institution worth its sort in the effective and efficient discharge of its mandated duties/ obligations. GOD BLESS OUR HOME LAND GHANA AND MAKE OUR ONLY NATION THAT WE HAVE GREAT AND STRONG!!! AUTHOR: GEORGE MENSAH (Freelance journalist and political observer) CONTACT: [email protected]