The Minority Leader of Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has criticized Parliament for its failure to properly hold the Executive in check, saying it is partly to be blamed for the many challenges facing the country.
He argued that if the legislators have been exercising their gatekeeping responsibility effectively, Ghana would not be experiencing some of the problems facing it currently.
“If Parliament were to exercise its functions properly, a lot of the ills that have been afflicting this country will not arise in the first place,” he said, adding “Parliament has the power of purse function; it is the gatekeeper of the national purse”.
He explained that the country’s financial administration and economic development would be guaranteed should Parliament insist and ensure that no president exceed budget allocations as captured in the Appropriation Ac
“If parliament insisted that it will not allow any president to exceed the ceiling of allocations as captured in the appropriations act and provided sanctions against presidents or executives who flout this, there will be sanity in our financial administration and economic development will be guaranteed” he said.
Speaking at a Symposium on Law and Public Policy, here in Accra, the minority leader indirectly questioned the process used in the election of parliamentarians and approval of presidential appointees.
He asked whether the people were electing the right people as parliamentarians whose expertise would shape development of the country and the laws that are made in the House.
“Given the utmost importance of parliament and indeed the role of parliamentarians, are we by the conduct of business in the various political parties electing the right caliber of persons to parliament to make the relevant laws that will shape the future developments of Ghana?” he queried
Mr Mensah Bonsu added: “If parliament were to comply with the constitutional imperatives during the approval process, the nation will be spared the ‘Mipaa Miniee’ syndrome which leads us to the create, loot and share”
