…OCCUPYGHANA® Fires, Raises Critical Concerns
OccupyGhana®, a social and political non-partisan pressure group, is calling on Parliament abort immediately the plan put up a new 450-seat chamber for parliamentarians and immediately take steps to win back the confidence and trust of the people whom they are supposed to be working for.
The groups is also raising critical concerns about how the project is going to be funded, how the project was considered a priority at this time, why the country needs to provide for an increase in the number of lawmakers and why the Public Affairs Directorate of Parliament remained mute on the matter and not provided answers to inform citizens.
ReadOccupyGhana® full, unedited statement to
Parliament below:
OCCUPYGHANA® QUESTIONS PARLIAMENT’S PRIORITIES AS IT
PLANS ON A NEW 450-SEAT CHAMBER
OccupyGhana®, like several other Ghanaians, is trying to come to
grips with the news that our parliamentarians want a new 450-seat chamber. We have
noted the profound anger and disbelief among a lot of the population, and for
good reason.
The planned chamber, besides its 450 seats, is
also expected to house a chapel, a mosque and gardens. The present chamber
which seats 275 lawmakers will be converted to a conference centre, we are
told.
Looking at the extent of the work planned, one
can easily surmise that it won’t be cheap. Moreover, it hints at a plan to
increase the number of seats in Ghana’s parliament and with that, more
lawmakers.
Which brings us to several questions:
1. How is this project going to be funded?
2. How is this project considered a priority at
this time?
3. Why do we need to provide for an increase in
the number of lawmakers? Do we need 450 lawmakers?
4. Why has the Public Affairs Directorate of
Parliament remained mute on this matter and not provided answers to inform
citizens?
The very fact that in light of all the problems
Ghana faces, our parliamentarians think a new chamber is of utmost importance
shows a significant disconnection from the lot of the people they are supposed
to represent.
We cannot believe that Parliament and its
leadership would even contemplate something so inconsiderate at a time when so
many Ghanaians still struggle in these difficult and trying times. Even sadder
is the fact that it eats away at the confidence people have in the democratic
process.
While noting that Parliament itself has no power
to appropriate state funds or obtain a loan for this, we nevertheless call on
our lawmakers to abort this plan and immediately take steps to win back the
confidence and trust of the people who they are supposed to be working for.
For God and Country.
OccupyGhana®
