Composition of Parliament: Executive can no longer ‘bulldoze’ its way with agreements—Ofei-Aboagye

Dr Esther Ofei-Aboagye,a former Executive Director of the Institute of Local Government Studies, has stated that the Executive can no longer “bulldoze” its way through in the 8th Parliament following the current composition of Members of Parliament(MPs).

She explained that “the executive will now have to submit to Parliament well-thought-through policies and agreements that will benefit the citizenry to convince the legislature for approval and situation where the executive can quickly quibble something together and bring it to parliament will not fly this time.”

Her comment comes on the back of the composition of the current 8th Parliament and the fear that Parliament may frustrate the Executive because there is no clear majority with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) having 137 seats while the National Democratic Congress (NDC) also having 137 seats with one independent candidate.

Dr Ofei-Aboagye, who was also the former member of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), noted that whatever criticisms that the party that is not in government has against whatever is brought to the House has to be well considered, well researched and the cogent argument made against and for the position so the era to be is an activation of the checks and balances.

“The era in which anything goes is over because governance requires courage and people who put themselves up for the high office is not for the faint-hearted but is not also for the stubborn who will not take advice.

“Ghanaians level of tolerance is changing and that it is evident in the just-ended elections and a demonstration that citizens will not vote for just anything but hold the parties accountable to their promises,” Dr Ofei-Aboagye intimated. -3news.com