Our Democracy Is In Danger; Majority MPs Oftentimes Vote To Favor Cabinet Interest - NDC MP

Hon. Adjei Mensah, a Member of Parliament for Techiman South Constituency believes certain decisions taken in Parliament are rather not in the interest of the citizenry but in the interest of the ruling government. But the NDC MP insists the country�s constitution is to be blame for this, since according to him, Parliamentarians do not have independent minds to assess bills for approval objectively without thinking of the interest of Cabinet. Speaking in connection with the uprising in Burkina Faso where the Majority in Parliament nearly changed a clause in the constitution to pave way for former President Blaise Compaore to contest again after 27 years in power, the NDC MP said similar things have occurred in Ghana with both the NDC and NPP being the perpetrators. He admitted without giving any example on Oman Fm�s Morning Show that, he had voted for some bills in Parliament which were not properly scrutinized but did not have the courage to vote against them. Highlighting the danger in such instances, Hon. Adjei Mensah hinted that some of the bills laid before the House for approval may be in the interest of the ministers and the executive, but has been packaged in the name of the party; thus compelling the Majority to support such bills. �We are threading on the scratch of the surface of democracy; where we are walking is slippery and what the NPP used to do as a Majority is exactly what NDC in Majority is doing now. The issue is that our Constitution is not good because it does not allow Parliamentarians to behave maturely to effectively represent their constituencies; instead of giving your objective opinions in accordance with the interest of the people you are representing, you are forced to protect the interest of the Cabinet or the Executive�. �Whatever bills the Executive will propose to Parliament, they will succeed because the Constitution has paved way for 50 percent of the Parliamentarians to be appointed as Executive members; so whether good or bad, the bills will be passed due to a governing party's Majority in Parliament�..In fact, I would have loved to offer different opinion sometimes and check into details whether it will help us or not and whether there is value for money or not but how can you give a different view when your party has brought a proposal for approval?� he rhetorically asked. He noted that until Parliamentarians are able to assess the merits and demerits of a bill without fear of stepping on the toes of the Executive, they will not able to operate independently; adding such hybrid system in the Constitution has retarded the progress of the country.