The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ebo Barton Odro has cautioned Members of Parliament (MP) seeking to retain their seats as well as new aspirants to desist from making outrageous promises during their campaigns.<\/p>\n
According to the MP for Cape Coast, who has decided not to contest again, MPs are not agents of development, and that, making such promises only give the impression that it was part of their mandate.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”Rlgc1xpo1EC38AwCmQfwN1shE4I05l8F”]\u201cIt\u2019s actually becoming too much. It is bad and that is why MP\u2019s are being warned that they should be careful of the promises they make during their campaigns. It is not our mandate, these days even assembly members are promising that they will build roads, it\u2019s fascinating,\u201d he lamented.<\/p>\n
Mr Odro made these remarks when responding to questions from a section of the public concerning the core mandate of MP\u2019s at a Parliamentary constituency forum held in Cape Coast on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The forum, an initiative by Parliament, which was on the theme \u201cDeepening citizens\u2019 engagement for better understanding of the Legislature,\u201d was aimed at sensitizing citizens for them to understand and appreciate the work of the legislature.<\/p>\n
It was also to create a structured engagement mechanism between citizens and Parliament to enhance their ability to hold duty bearers accountable through increased interaction between them.<\/p>\n
The legislature, the two-term MP noted, was gradually moving from its core mandate of making laws by embarking on developmental projects, which he insisted, was becoming too much and needed to be tackled before the situation worsens.<\/p>\n
He indicated that the leadership of Parliament would soon come out with measures to check the situation and called on the media to collaborate with them to ensure that those MP\u2019s who engaged in the act are pinned to the wall.<\/p>\n
He however admonished the general public to desist from demanding excessively from their MPs and other public office bearers as it had the potential of pushing them into acts of bribery and corruption.<\/p>\n
Mr. Charles Obeng-Inkoom, MP for Agona West acknowledged that though it was not their mandate to embark on development projects, the increasing demands \u00a0from the public often compelled them to use their share of the common fund to undertake some development projects.<\/p>\n
Joe Ghartey, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament explained that the decentralization system did not mandate MP\u2019s to undertake development projects, and that, all funds meant for development were channeled through the District Assemblies likewise the MP\u2019s common fund.<\/p>\n
He therefore urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) not to sit on funds meant for development projects but use it for the intended purpose.<\/p>\n
Participants were schooled on the duties and responsibilities of Parliamentarians, which included an oversight responsibility, approval of budget statement, checks and balances and making laws.<\/p>\n
Questions on health, employment creation and other development issues, development plan, the debt toll of the nation, disbursement of MP\u2019s common fund and others were asked by the public.<\/p>\n
The forum brought together MP\u2019s and aspirants from both the majority and the minority in the Central Region.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: GNA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ebo Barton Odro has cautioned Members of Parliament (MP) seeking to retain their seats as well as new aspirants to desist from making outrageous promises during their campaigns. According to the MP for Cape Coast, who has decided not to contest again, MPs are not agents of development, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":160677,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[43,2183,38,2176],"yoast_head":"\n