Judge us fairly-MPs plead.

Ho, Jan 16, GNA- The electorate would be unfair to assess the performances of Members of Parliament (MPs) by the number of projects undertaken in their constituencies. This is because the duties of MPs are mainly to make laws and exercise oversight responsibility over the executive arm of government, whose duty it is to ensure equitable development of the country. Mr Edusa Okerchire, Majority Chief Whip and Mr Alban Bagbin, Minority Leader made these points at a Parliamentary Forum in Ho on Wednesday.

But contributors at the forum reminded the MPs that they were being held accountable by the promises of specific development projects they made to their constituents when canvassing for their votes. Such promises and the fact that the MPs have passed a law to create the MPs Common Fund were thought to be enough to expect those they represent to deliver on their promises.

Some of the participants also called on the MPs to scrap the law entitling them to a share of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) and suggested that they embarked on a vigorous education to get the constituents to understand their roles as legislators and not development providers.

Mr Bagbin explained that the promises MPs made on platforms were on behalf of their Political Parties based on their manifestoes, with the expectations that their parties would be given the mandate to rule and deliver the promises.

He said where a political party finds itself in the opposition the option available to its MPs would be to put pressure on the government to deliver equitable development in fulfillment of the promises they made to the electorate.

Mr Okerchire said when that wrong perception was allowed to persist, there would a high attrition in parliament to the detriment of quality legislative work.

He said another consequence of that perception was that, MPs could compromise their oversight responsibilities of the Executive by chasing after and begging Ministers for development projects. Mr Ebenezer Sekyi-Hughes, Speaker of Parliament spelt out the functions of parliament and said the House would continue to serve the interest of Ghana.

He said the House was amenable to criticisms and suggestions as a human institution, as a means of strengthening its role in promoting good governance.

Ms Kathrin Meissner, Resident Director of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, sponsors of the regional forums, urged the electorate to be fair to their MPs and not burden them with requests for direct assistance.

This is because MPs first duty is to the nation as a whole with a small part of the duty being to act as a developmental agent to the constituents.