General News of Friday, 24 January 2025

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Increasing rates of parliamentary turnover pose a risk to the stability of governance - Mpraeso MP

Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, Davis Ansah Opoku Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, Davis Ansah Opoku

Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, Davis Ansah Opoku, has sounded the alarm over an escalating governance crisis, which he attributes to the high attrition rates in Ghana’s Parliament.

Speaking in Parliament, Mr Opoku highlighted the troubling statistic that only 10 out of 169 NPP MPs retained their seats between the 7th and 9th Parliaments.

He warned that such high turnover threatens both the institutional memory and the legislative effectiveness of the body.

“This level of turnover undermines the stability and quality of our democracy,” Mr. Opoku stated, stressing the urgent need for reforms to address this growing issue.

He explained that frequent changes in parliamentary membership create disruptions that hinder continuity in governance and undermine the long-term strategic planning required for effective legislation.

Mr. Opoku attributed the high attrition rates to a variety of factors, including excessive campaign costs, weak enforcement of the Political Parties Act, divisive primary elections, and unrealistic public expectations placed on MPs.

He argued that these challenges create a toxic political environment that discourages experienced individuals from seeking re-election and drives others to step down prematurely.

To tackle these issues, Mr. Opoku proposed a comprehensive strategy that includes public funding for political parties, stricter financial disclosure requirements, and reforms to the candidate selection process.

He suggested that such measures would reduce the financial burden on MPs and encourage a more stable and experienced pool of representatives in Parliament.

“Our democracy depends on a stable, experienced Parliament. Without urgent reforms, the foundation of our governance will be at risk,” Mr. Opoku concluded.

Watch the latest edition of Sports Debate below:



EK