Bolgatanga, July 22, GNA - Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) were on Friday urged to challenge Members of Parliament (MPs), in their respective areas of jurisdiction, to become more accountable.

Mr Daud Abang-Gus, Upper East Regional National Youth Coordinator, mad= e the call during the 11th Constitutional Week organised by the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) on the theme, 91the state of Ghana'= s Democracy 2011' at Bolgatanga.

He alleged that there were many instances where some MPs went behind doors to take their Common Fund instead of passing through the Assemblies i= n their constituencies for approval. "Most of the MPs sit in Accra and find unapproved means of taking th= eir Common Fund and spending it anyhow without considering the development need= s in their respective constituencies", he said.

He stressed that parts of MP's Common Fund were supposed to be budge= ted under the Mid-Term Development Programmes of the MMDAs to accelerate development, which most of them refused to abide with.

He said another role expected of MPS was taking part in assembly meetings to guide them to make by laws and to brief them about the outcomes of Parliament, stressing that 93it is mandatory upon them to attend assemb= ly meetings". Mr Samuel Akumoah, Deputy Director of NCCE in charge of Programmes, stated that Gender inequality and filing fees were major problems confronting female representation in the political sector and appealed to political parties to reverse the negative trend.