Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South constituency in the Northern Region and Minority Leader, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, has been ranked as the most visible MP in Ghana`s MPs Media Visibility Ratings in the first quarter of 2017.

Mr. Iddrisu, according to research findings by the Centre for Media Analysis (CMA), the Tamale South MP scored 31 units of news stories projection out of the total 298 units recorded by all the MPs, making him the most visible MP in the first quarter of 2017.

Ghana’s MPs Media Visibility Coverage Index (Ghana-MPs-MVCI) is a scientific research tool used to track and analyse MPs coverage on visibility in the Ghanaian media, and how this can intrinsically impact on their political carrier and the performance of their various political parties at large.

The report also revealed that Mr. Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa, MP for the North Tongu constituency in the Volta Region, emerged second with 30 units.

The third spot was shared by first-time MP for Tamale North constituency, Alhaji Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, and Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak, MP for Asawase, in the Ashanti Region with 20 units each.

According to the report, the visibility of Haruna Iddrisu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Alhaji Alhassan Suhuyini and Muntaka Mubarak was largely in relation to their Vetting Committee activities in Parliament in the first quarter of 2017.

The report indicated that female MPs in the house of legislature performed poorly in terms of media visibility during the first quarter.

The research finding revealed that only seven (7) out of 36 female MPs in the house appeared in the media.

Commenting on the research report, Chief Media Analyst and Executive Director of CMA, Dr. Messan Mawugbe, said though MPs are popular in the country, what was published about them and their regular presence in the media directly impact on their relationship with the constituents, their political career in general, the government and the party they serve.

He emphasised the need for MPs to adopt effective media strategies to promote their media relations, visibility, their political brand- personalities and attributes.

The Centre for Media Analysis (CMA) is an independent media research organization that aggregates information gathered by traditional, social media, citizen-journalists and content providers to meet the strategic public-communication objectives of its clients.