Members of Parliament in Ghana face numerous demands from their constituents to address their social and economic needs, resulting in many being poor after service, yet many continue aspire to become MPs.
We spoke to some parliamentary candidates who are vying to enter Parliament for the first time.
On the floor of Parliament a month back, the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin lamented how some former MPs die as a result of poverty.
“I am aware of a number of former members of parliament who could not go out to buy medicine because of poverty and they died,” he lamented.
MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu narrated on the floor of Parliament how a former MP passed on for not being able to afford money to undergo a prostate surgery.
“…At the time professor Mike Oquaye as chair of the board needed to help a former MP with twelve thousand Ghana cedis and this MP was requesting to do surgery, so Prof. Oquaye whispered that Minority Leader find half and I will also provide half, Mr. speaker before one week this former MP died.’’
Despite the challenges, many people dream of becoming lawmakers.
Edem Agbana, who won the NDC parliamentary primary, is set to represent the people of Ketu North after the December parliamentary polls.
“I really did a self-introspection, checked my account and I was satisfied that at least I have built for myself within these few years some good financial base to be able to ride on and go to parliament’’.
Mr. Agbana added that even though he has not been an MP before, but from a close range he knows what goes in there.
“I know how life is for them, but I think that my philosophy is that you don’t let the position change your standards of living so if you don’t live within your means and you want to live like in quote, a big man, the moment you exit from the office and those privileges are no more there and then you begin to be uncomfortable,” he said.
The NPP’s Dome-Kwabenya parliamentary candidate, Michael Aaron Ocuaye Jnr. acknowledges the low salary levels of MPs.
“The judiciary are given cars, the executives are given cars, all my directors here are given cars, the chief directors in the ministries, they are all given cars to use but parliamentarians have to use their own money and get a loan. For me, money cannot be an incentive because maybe in your private practice you are even earnings more than what you get as a parliamentarian.’’
NDC parliamentary candidate for Okaikoi Central, Abdulai Abu Sadiq says Parliament is equally aware of the demands on MPs and says it is normal.
“One won’t call it a request, especially you know people are really looking for good leadership or people to aid them where generally the country has not been able to provide for the needs that they want,” he said.
But the citizens’ demands will not hinder the pursuit of the dreams of these parliamentary candidates.
So the question remains what is the motivation?
Ambassador Aaron Mike Oquaye Jnr. says for him, it is to serve the people. “To be able to see what you can also do for the people as a parliamentarian, we all know that you are not directly in charge of the developmental matters, nevertheless you can use your good office to be able to lobby for things like roads, water system and other things that the community may need as you go round talking to them. I look forward to the opportunity to be able to represent my constituency if I am given the nod and to be able to represent them when it comes to the enactment and even the amendments of laws in Ghana.’’
For Abdulai Abu Sadiq popularly called Baba Sadiq, it is to drive development in the communities.
“The parliamentary office gives you a bigger leverage, I mean to be able to drive development and to be able to enhance the democratic credentials of the country and to be able to take part in key decision making that ultimately benefits everybody in society,’’ he explained.
Edem Agbana sees the platform as an opportunity to change the narrative about development in his community.
“I see myself becoming an instrument of change for my people and that is why all policies that I am pursuing and all that I seek to pursue when given the opportunity are aimed towards uplifting the community and empowering my people,” he said.
Over the past decade, cost of intra-party candidate selection has quadrupled, with aspiring MPs spending millions of cedis on ‘delegates’ encounters alone.
However, for these candidates the amount spent in becoming a legislator will not deter them. They will find ways and means to fund the activities to become MPs not just to enjoy the prestige that comes with it, but to better serve the people. But they are mindful of life after the legislature.
Read also:
Effia MP to spend over GH¢100k on 20-week Community Soccer Competition
The post Craze for Member of Parliament: What is in it for aspirants? first appeared on 3News.
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