The Executive Director of the African Center for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA), Dr. Rasheed Draman, has bemoaned the increasing number of experienced lawmakers who are not seeking reelection into the Legislature.
He says the exit of some of these members is going to create a huge vacuum in the House which does not speak well of Ghana’s democracy.
In the United States and other advanced democracies, such persons, according to Dr. Draman, are protected to safeguard the weight of the House, especially in its foremost function, –legislation.
His comments come on the back of some Members of Parliament in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who are not seeking reelection into the 9th Parliament, and failed to file nominations after the party closed the process Tuesday, December 26, 2023.
Speaking on Ghana Tonight Tuesday, December 26, 2023, with Alfred Ocansey, the ACEPA boss said “there will be a very huge gap because if you research into, for instance, the law-making process in Parliament, there are very few MPs who have been going through the intricacies and the very nitty-gritties” to get the laws passed.
Despite the Ashanti region being the main support base of the ruling NPP, some incumbent MPs are not seeking re-election despite their chances of retaining the seat being high, aside from their garnered experiences to help the House in its functions.
Forty-three out of the 47 seats are held by the governing NPP.
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, who doubles as the MP for Bekwai, Joseph Osei-Wusu, Majority Leader and MP for Suame, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, and legislators for the Oforikrom, Ahafo Ano South East and Kwabre East constituencies, did not file their nominations to participate in the primaries.
Dr. Draman has therefore proposed that for Parliament to devise its means of protecting some of these bigwigs if the political parties are not willing to do same for their members.
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