Johnson Asiedu Nketia, National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has agreed with mounting concerns that the level of representation in Ghana’s Parliament is deteriorating.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Thursday, November 16, the former NDC General Secretary agreed that there has been a notable difference in how people see and handle legislative jobs.
According to him, there has been a shift from the old view of parliament as a platform for serving citizens to a more modern one in which people see it as an investment.
“It is true that the quality of representation has declined, and it is not just an opinion, there is one survey report which has cited what the speakers have been talking about,” said Asiedu Nketia, the speaker.
The National Chairman of the NDC identified a critical element leading to this loss, underlining the harmful impact of rising political monetization.
He went on to say that in the past, people were motivated to enter parliament by a real desire to serve the country. The current situation, however, paints a different image, with many increasingly considering parliamentary jobs as a strategic investment opportunity.
“One of the key causes has been the over-monetisation of politics, in the past people went to parliament out of the passion to serve the nation. Now people go to parliament as a means of investment…some just want a service passport to do their business.”
Asiedu Nketia urged for a deliberate effort to revert to the ideals of true public service that previously distinguished Ghana’s Parliament.
He did, however, add that it will be difficult for political parties to impose requirements emphasizing educational credentials before approving a candidate to run for a parliamentary seat.
