The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs is strategising to ensure experienced Members of Parliament (MPs) are retained in Parliament to avoid the situation where activities of the House are not affected, especially legislation.
Such situations comes about because most legislators fail to strike a synergy between being lawmaking and also undertaking constituency activities and those who have been unable to strike that delicate balance have always found themselves wanting.
The situation
affects activities of the House, especially lawmaking and the Ministry of Parliamentary
Affairs is working to ensure that experienced parliamentarians are retained in
the House.
Dr Aggrey
Darko, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, made the
disclosure after nine sitting MPs from the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
decided against seeking re-election while nine others who did, lost their bid
to represent the party in the parliamentary primaries held on Saturday.
Emmanuel Nii Okai Laryea, Amasaman constituency,
Joseph Yieleh Chireh, Wa West constituency and Ras Mubarak, Kumbungu
constituency are few examples of those who lost their seats in the elections.
Dr Darko urged the National Commission on Civic
Education to intensify public education and sensitisation on the role of MPs to
ensure voters do not judge MPs by only their contribution to the growth and
development in the constituencies but by quality of work they do in parliament
on behalf of the nation.
“This is essential because, most of what
pertains in parliament, may not come to the public attention but are
nonetheless priceless for the growth and development of the country and the
democratic dispensation and putting in place systems, including linking other
agencies to address challenge.
“The challenge may require education and
sensitisation of MPs themselves as those who failed to contest for personal
reasons rather than fear of losing elections, an example is Richard Quashigah,
the MP for Keta in the Volta Region,” Dr Darko lamented.
“I indicated on a number of stations I was seeking to do two terms, being a man of my words and very principled, I decided to keep to that, I am not your normal African politician, no need to cling on to power, you may say parliament is juicy but it is also hard work, it is a job that is psychologically tasking,” Mr Quashigah cautioned. -myjoyonline.com
