8th Parliament will ensure accountable government – Franklin Cudjoe

Founding President of think tank, IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has said the structure of the incoming 8th Parliament will enable the Legislature to effectively play its oversight role over the Executive.

The majority New Patriotic Party (NPP) which used to have 169 seats in Parliament currently has 137 seats, while the Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC), which used to have 106 seats currently has 136 seats after the December 7 elections.

An independent candidate represents the Fomena constituency which used to belong to the NPP while an outstanding Sene West seat is yet to be determined by the Electoral Commission (EC).

With 275 constituencies existing in Ghana, a party needs at least 138 seats in Parliament to form a clear Majority.

Commenting on the current structure of Parliament, Mr Cudjoe said the current outcome of the parliamentary polls has been a great relief.

“Whether there is a slim majority or not, it doesn’t give anybody exclusivity when it comes to some very difficult decisions that have to be made concerning physical decisions. Politically, this Parliament is the best coup d’etat that the Ghanaian has committed to and in some regard, the President has realised this because he stated in his victory speech that this election is a chance for the NPP and the NDC to work together,” Mr Cudjoe said on Citi News’ Big Issue.

He added that the winner takes all mentality will be cured by the current make-up of the 8th Parliament.

“This is the situation we are at right now where the constitution which is supposed to have helped us deal with the winner takes all mentality actually doesn’t, it makes the president a superman, appointing almost 6,000 persons he barely knows, and he has to work within a parliamentary system that is so thinly divided and I think it is very good for us,” he said.

According to him, the sort of accountable government that Ghana needs will now be exercised through the mandate of the incoming Parliament.