Populism gaining over intellectual depth in parliament - Deputy Speaker of Parliament

MPs only interested in popularism – Joe Wise

Parliament weaker in terms of intellectual depth – Joe Wise

MP engaged in physical fights over the passage of the e-levy

Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has said Ghana’s Parliament was getting weaker in terms of the intellectual depth of the Members of Parliament (MP).

Joseph Osei Owusu, in an interview on TV3, said the Parliament he witnessed before he became an MP had members who were more vibrant in providing advocacy and they also showed intellectual depth than the current crop of members.

“It appears to me that the populism is gaining up a hand over intellectual depth in our parliament”, he said

“There are very few people debating based on issues. Speaking to the thing that matters. Very few of us. Too many of us are doing populist things showing demonstration so that we would be on facebook and so on”, the first deputy speaker of Parliament added.

He further stated, “I regret to observe that – maybe I am too old or getting too old – I think that our debt is getting more shallow."

Ghana’s Parliament has recently come under scrutiny following the misconduct of MPs particularly during the debate on the passage of the 2022 Budget.

MPs even engaged in physical fights over the passage of the proposed 1.75 percent electronic tax (e-levy) on mobile money and other electronic money transfers that that exceeded GH¢ 100 per day.

Below is a link to the interview on TV3