News:
February 3, 2025
With the confusion that has clouded the real roles of the Member of Parliament particular on the issue of spearheading developments in their various constituencies, as to whether he or she a development agent because he is elected and their role as law makers the Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, Davis Opoku Ansah has pointed out that the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) would have to improve their engagement with the Ghanaian public to let them know the actual functions of their representatives in parliament .
“Our role as MPs, coming to Accra as legislators is to have oversight responsibility over the Executive arm of Government. When that education goes down well, Ghanaians will begin to appreciate the role of the MP. Then a lot of pressures will be lifted off the MP. If he or she is to ensure that laws are passed, that is the work they are supposed to do rather than MPs coming to fix gutters, toilets and build schools”.
As to whether Parliamentary Candidates or Members of Parliament should not take part of the blame as they go out there to campaign and give a lot of promises, the lawmaker pointed out in an interview that at the time the lawmaker to be was going round campaigning, the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) are not yet known, and it takes the parliamentary candidate to sell the programmes and policies contained in the manifestoes of the political parties they represent.
So in doing so, the people assume the promises were coming directly from the PCs, forgetting that they have presidential candidates seeking executive power who would spearhead the development agenda including the construction of roads, schools, hospitals among others through the MMDCEs who are actually the development agents at the assemblies.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com