Parliament Has Failed

A pro-democracy civil society organisation, Citizens Awake Forum (CAF,)has stated that Parliament has failed to execute its core mandate of �serving the supreme interest of the people in Ghana� in terms of performance. A statement signed by the leadership of CAF in the persons of Ernest Kojo Smith, Rubin Kwame Ayisi, John D. Ofori Attah, Ali Musah Danjumah and Egya Adam and copied to Today in Accra yesterday, stressed that despite a few experienced and good members of Parliament (MPs) in the House, Parliament is clearly a failed public institution in the country. The group in the statement pointed out that the Ghanaian Parliament was so weak to the extent that it found it extremely difficult to supervise the executive arm of government, maintaining that it [Parliament] has also surrendered its constitutional functions to others, been inattentive to detail in its works, put its interest above the public interest and above all it was corrupt. According to the statement, an American legislator gets paid less than an average physician while a Ghanaian legislator gets paid far more than an average physician. Realistically, the statement stressed that 24 million population in Ghana get little value of these investment from the legislation. �and that worrying situation attested to the fact that Ghanaian Parliament is completely a failed institution,� the group averred. �The organisation which upholds the values of integrity and accountability has come to set the records straight in relation to the performance of Parliaments in the 4th Republic and its impact on governments. ��Parliament of Ghana is the Legislative body of the Government of Ghana. The Speaker presides over Parliament and enforces observance of all rules that govern its conduct. As a norm, after general elections, the majority party in Parliament nominates a speaker. But the group said �regrettably, Parliaments over the years have not lived up to its public expectations.� According to the statement, it is evidently clear that Parliaments in the 4th Republic has brought to bear noble men of integrity whose impact has been very positive to the advancement of democracy and governance. However it said other Parliaments in the same 4th Republic have rather produced �crooks whose impact has been very negative to the development of this country.� Without mincing words, the organisation in the statement relayed that upon its interactions with Ghanaians across the regions, its questionnaire indicated that the 3rd Parliament under the able leadership of the late Peter Ala Adjetey was acknowledged as the best Parliament in the history of the 4th Republic. The statement indicated that Ghanaians described the Speaker as a complete asset of which he demonstrated a non-partisan approach in the execution of his Parliamentary duties. It recalled that: �All in all it is not a surprise that President Kufuor�s administration up to date is recognized as the toast of many Ghanaians simply because he had an effective Parliament. Undoubtedly, it indicated that it was during Kufuor�s era that Ghanaians saw a positive change in regard to development in all the sectors of the economy including health, education, agriculture, transportation, infrastructural projects etc. To this end, the group appealed to government and the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Edward Doe Adjaho to emulate President Kufuor and his two successful Speakers of Parliament who brought hope and confidence which inspired Ghanaians to believe in the future.