Proposed new parliamentary chamber block

NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW DEBATING CHAMBER FOR PARLIAMENT.

The purported plan of Parliament to construct a new 450-seater chamber has outraged a session of the Ghanaian public. Some commentators described the move as insensitive, unnecessary and a waste of state resources. They asserted that there are more pressing needs of the nation for the law makers to be thinking of how to help address them, instead of seeking for their own comfort. Some civil society organisations have also issued strong worded statements urging the House to reconsider its decision. While “CDD-Ghana acknowledges the vital constitutional roles of Parliament and the need for the House to be adequately empowered and resourced to discharge its responsibilities effectively, it does not believe the construction of a new and expanded chamber at an estimated cost of 200 million dollars is reasonable or justifiable at the present time”.

CDD-Ghana reminds the lawmakers that in “the face of the numerous basic needs facing communities across the country, including lack of safe and decent physical structures and facilities for many basic schools, chronic shortage of beds in public hospitals, the deplorable condition of the country’s roads, and countless other basic infrastructural and material deprivations facing the citizens, construction of a new edifice for Parliament is a clear case of misplaced priorities. The African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs, ACEPA also pointed out that building a new chamber for Parliament should not be a priority for Ghana, given that this is coming on the back of the anger and disapproval that characterised the refurbishment and renovation of the current chamber a few years ago. If the decision to building a new chamber is to address overcrowding and ensure comfort in the debating Chamber, then the State should consider reducing the number of MPs, as many have argued that with about 30 million population, the 275 lawmakers for Parliament is too high.

Former Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ken Dzirasah reportedly said the move to construct a new chamber is unnecessary, adding that the current chamber is good and fit for purpose. The conditions and facilities in Parliament are enough for the people’s representatives to work. Many have observed that what Parliament needs to play its constitutional law making and checks and balances duties is not fancy brick-and-mortar. It needs unwavering power and less partisan posturing to exercise meaningful oversight of the Executive and public institutions.

It is however reassuring for the leadership of Parliament to come out to say that no concrete and final decisions have been taken on the construction of the new Chamber. Whatever be the case as it is said in pidgin English, “we no go gree.” We join all well-meaning Ghanaians in urging our MPs to drop that new Chamber construction agenda. Ghanaians need solutions to their poverty-stricken plights. That should be our lawmakers first and foremost preoccupation. This self-serving project of the political class must be resisted with all the powers we have as citizens. We say no to politics of self-aggrandisement. #DROPTHATCHAMBER.

 BY DOMINIC HLORDZI, A JOURNALIST.