Newly-elected Member of Parliament for the Ejisu Constituency in the Ashanti Region, John Ampontuah Kumah, has called for the amendments of laws to make it possible for Members of Parliament (MPs) to have a fair share of the MPs Common Fund to spearhead developments in their various constituencies.
He said, the current state of the law does not allow MPs to have adequate funding to embark on projects in their respective constituencies. He said, this rather puts them in a very difficult position as their constituents expect them to bring developments when they are elected to parliament.
“It should be possible for MPs to be allocated a certain amount of funding may be up to 50% of the Common Fund where they can implement various community projects within their jurisdiction. Otherwise, if you have a situation where the MP and his MCE or DCE do not agree, then there will be no development according to the expectations of the people”.
“Because the MCE is not elected, all the developmental expectations of the various communities in the Constituency is on the MP. We cannot behave like ostriches and say that because the law says that MPs are to make legislations, their role in development is to make laws. We must make the laws respond to the expectations of the people,” he said.
According to him, although MPs are elected to represent their constituents and make laws, he said making them development agents will go a long way to improve lives of their constituents emphasizing that this is the surest way MPs can bring about developments in their constituencies and be held accountable in the process.
“We have the capacity to build this country without aid; we can do it. This is why I have suggested that we have to redefine the role of the MP and make it a developmental focus,” he added.
He, however, encouraged MPs not to hide behind financial constraints and not participate in the development of their constituencies. He admonished them to explore and tap into productive areas in their constituencies to create jobs for their constituents and improve their standard of living.
