MPs are suffering - MP

Parliament on Thursday approved 4.1 billion cedis for the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs with a call by members of the house to clear the misunderstanding surrounding the role of the Parliamentary Service Board, the Office of Parliament and the House Committee on matters concerning the responsibility over the welfare of Members of Parliament (MPs).

The MPs also urged the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs to take a firm stand on issues related to their welfare by carrying such matters to the Executive.

Members of the house were contributing to the motion for the approval of the budget of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs moved by the sector Minister, Mr. Felix Owusu-Adjapong.

According to them, the Office of Parliament oversees research, development and the general welfare of MPs, which the Ministry appears to be partly responsible, a situation that needs to be clearly defined to end the overlapping of responsibilities.

Mr. John Ackah, NDC-Aowin Suaman said, "MPs are suffering" and called for a revamping of various agencies such as the research department to help them out.

Presenting the report of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Abraham Ossei-Aidooh, Deputy Majority Leader said most professional bodies were not aware of the workings of the house and how to make inputs on bills before the house. He said the Ministry should educate the "citizenry on the activities of Parliament."

Mr. Adjapong said among some of the objectives of the Ministry for the year was to "strengthen the leadership and oversight functions of parliament in support of poverty reduction and economic growth." He said the research department of the house would be strengthened and civil society participation in policy formulation would be instituted.