The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II had some strong words for individuals who made lofty, unrealistic promises to Ghanaians to secure votes to win parliamentary seats.
During election periods, parliamentary aspirants make huge promises, sometimes beyond their mandate, and ultimately disappoint constituents who would elect them into office.
Ahead of the December 2024 elections, the revered Asante monarch raised concerns about the trend after receiving the Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin, at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on Sunday, June 30, 2024.
“Democratic governance should be about ideas, and ideally, politicians explain to the public about areas they can develop or tackle and ensure it is done when given the mandate.
“However, if you are an MP without a budget, how do you promise to construct roads? Your job is to let the people know that you will discharge law-making duties effectively to contribute to the development of Ghana,” he stated.
The revered monarch also questions the craze for parliamentary seats and wonders why “nearly everyone” wants to be an MP to the extent of using unacceptable tactics.
“Why does everyone want to go to parliament? What at all is there which makes aspirants go to the extent of insults and physical assaults in order to get into parliament?” he queried.
Many politicians have used developmental projects as baits to get votes and find themselves in trouble when the promises are not fulfilled.
In 2018, former Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Suame Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu made it clear that the role of parliamentarians was not to fix roads, build health clinics, construct schools, and expand other infrastructural development in their constituencies.
He said the President, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, and sector ministers are the only mandated bodies to provide development across the country.
“Fellow citizens, it is not the business of a Member of Parliament to fix the road,” the experienced lawmaker said at a public forum in Tamale.
He said parliamentarians have about seven functions under which they play numerous roles and admonished voters to disregard candidates who will come to them with pledges to bring development to them as they are not mandated to do so.
He explained the representational, deliberative, informational, approval, and problem-resolution functions of MPs and said constituents should stop looking at their MPs as vehicles for development.
Source: theghanareport.com
