IN all constitutional democracies, parliaments have the fundamental functional role of law making.
BESIDES this function which is enshrined in the 1992 Constitution, the same Constitution also vests the control of the public purse in parliament and also gives it an oversight over the Executive, among other functions.
THROUGH the sittings of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, Ghanaians have witnessed some semblance of Parliament flexing its muscle over financial control of the public purse. We say ‘semblance’ because most of the queries and malfeasance brought out during the PAC’s sittings, as well as excessive expenditure of the Executive and other public offices, have so far gone unpunished.
THE vetting and approval of presidential nominees for appointment as ministers, deputy ministers, the Chief Justice, other justices of the Supreme Court and other public offices specified by law, for instance, are all means by which Parliament holds the Executive in check.
HOWEVER, developments in Parliament since Ghana returned to constitutional rule in 1993 have, made many stakeholders question the independence of parliament and its ability to deliver on issues in the national interest. The case has always been that the Majority always votes in support of the government agenda.
THE Minority or dissenting Members of Parliament (MPs) have oftentimes raised fundamental issues on various matters, be they on loans or policy. But as is often with our situation, the Minority can have its say but the Majority will always have its way.
IT is on this score that Today wants our MPs to demonstrate a sense of independent-mindedness in their deliberations and voting on issues of national interest. In fact, what we need as a country is a strong and effective parliament. This is what our country desires at this critical period of its development.
PARLIAMENT must assert itself as an independent arm of state capable of playing its oversight role, including controlling the purse of the government which had been done before.
FOR instance, MPs in the Third Republic demonstrated that Ghana could have a truly independent parliament; that it would put the national interest above parochial party interests.
IN that parliament, all the MPs teamed up to reject the budget of President Hilla Limann because they did not find it to be in the national interest.
TODAY therefore believes that our MPs can rise above party interests, so that the continued tagging of MPs as being tied to the apron strings of political parties could be avoided.