The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs (MoPA), Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has called for another look at the composition of the membership of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) to build the confidence and trust of the people in policy documents it produces on national development.

According to him, the composition of the NDPC had become a source of worry that could trigger mistrust in the commission’s work and recommendations.

Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, however, said a balanced representation would ensure that a long-term national development plan by the commission would become a source document for all governments to ensure sustained development.

Event

The minister, who is also the Majority Leader in Parliament, made the call at the swearing-in of an eight-member ministerial advisory board of the MoPA in Accra yesterday.

“If you populate the commission with high numbers of a particularly political party, nobody will take the document they come up with seriously, he said.

“Perhaps, we need to look at the composition of the NDPC for it to engender trust and confidence.”

Membership

The members of the board, chaired by Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, are the Chief Director of MoPA, Dr. Evans Aggrey-Darkoh; the Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Mr. Yaw Baodu-Ayeboafoh, and the Executive Director of the African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA), Dr. Rasheed Dramani.

The rest are the Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education, Ms. Josephine Nkrumah; a Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Political Science of the University of Ghana, Legon, Dr Maame A. A. Gyekye-Jandoh; the Director of Academic Affairs of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso, and the Clerk-to-Parliament, Mr Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah.

The board is to support the ministry to facilitate, coordinate, monitor and evaluate strategies for the execution of government business in Parliament and also guarantee good governance through dialogue and consensus-building as well as harmonize the relationship in the Legislature, the Executive, the Judiciary, independent governance institutions, civil society organizations', the media and political parties.

Monetization

The minister further expressed concern over the monetization of politics, including party primaries to select Members of Parliament.

“Today, people are talking about corruption in the system. You cannot plant cassava and reap mangoes; you reap what you sow.

“At the base level, people are charging otherwise good potentials who aspire to be in Parliament, making some to lose out as the electorate want people who grease their palms. They come to Parliament and they realize that they do not fit in,” he said.

Appreciation

The members took turns to express their appreciation for the confidence reposed in them and pledged their willingness to support the ministry achieve its mandate.

Mr. Boadu-Ayeboafoh, who is the only member of the previous board to be re-appointed, said the members would work hard and also consider the “interest of Ghana beyond our individual interests to support the growth of the ministry and the accomplishment of its vision”.