By: Michael Ahinsah
Professor Kwabena Sarfo Sarfo-Kantankah, Parliamentary Discourse Analyst, has criticized the low attendance of Members of Parliament at the ongoing debate on the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy.
It was reported that the house had recorded an extremely low turnout of MPs in the chamber, with only 37 out of the 137 Majority MPs turning up yesterday, 30th November, 2023. On the side of the minority caucus, 93 members were in attendance including the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrissu; Deputy Minority leader, Dr. James Klutse Avedzi and Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka.
In view of that, he asserted that Ghanaians are not angry enough about what is happening and attributes the lack of anger to a lack of understanding about the responsibilities of parliamentarians.
“There isn’t so much understanding on the part of the citizens of the work of Parliament, on the work of the speaker and we have shown so much anger and discernment to be able to tackle these things” he stated
He further expressed disapproval with some Members of Parliament who were in Qatar to witness the Fifa world cup instead of addressing a document as important as the 2023 budget saying that such acts sends the wrong signals about the government.
“When we are in a crisis and we have ministers who are supposed to take action traveling outside the country to go and watch football match it doesn’t sound well, psychologically,” He said.
“Psychologically, it is not good for us as a people. People will think you don’t even care about what is happening and i am worried about that” he added.
