Independent national commentator and KNUST Professor of Physics, Eric K. K. Abavare, has backed several proposals by the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) to restructure Parliament and strengthen its independence.
In Part Three of his nine-part commentary on the proposed constitutional reforms, Prof. Abavare supports capping Parliament at 276 members, separating parliamentary and ministerial roles, removing MPs’ share of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), allowing dual citizens to contest parliamentary seats and expanding the scope for Private Members’ Bills.
He also supports replacing term-end ex-gratia payments with a pension scheme.
However, he disagrees with the CRC’s proposed five-year parliamentary term, arguing that the current four-year cycle should be retained.
Prof. Abavare says the absence of a constitutional ceiling on the size of Parliament has allowed its membership to expand through successive redistricting exercises.
He notes that Article 93(1) of the 1992 Constitution sets a minimum of 140 elected members but does not prescribe a maximum.
He therefore supports the CRC’s proposal to constitutionally cap Parliament at the current 276 seats.
“276 is not a scientific number. It is a political number, and it is a number Ghanaians can live with because it is where we already are,” he argues.
While acknowledging population growth and the expansion of major urban centres, he says any future increase in parliamentary seats should require a constitutional amendment and an explicit national justification.
Prof. Abavare maintains that Parliament should continue to operate on a four-year electoral cycle.
He argues that the shorter cycle strengthens electoral accountability and says the parliamentary term should not be extended to five years as proposed by the CRC.
Prof. Abavare describes the proposed separation of parliamentary and ministerial roles as one of the most significant reforms under consideration.
He argues that requiring Ministers to largely come from Parliament weakens legislative oversight because MPs on the governing side may have ministerial ambitions.
“An MP cannot credibly grill a Minister on Monday and sit beside him in Cabinet on Wednesday,” he writes.
According to him, preventing MPs from simultaneously serving as Ministers would give backbenchers greater independence to scrutinise government decisions.
He also believes the change would allow qualified professionals, including sector specialists, experienced public servants and Ghanaians in the diaspora, to serve as Ministers without first becoming MPs.
### Remove MPs from the DACF
Prof. Abavare supports the proposed amendment to Article 252 to prevent any portion of the DACF from being allocated to MPs.
He argues that constituency development should be handled by local government institutions, while MPs focus on legislation and oversight.
“The Committee’s logic is sharp: an MP is a legislator, not a contractor,” he states.
He acknowledges that removing MPs’ access to DACF resources could face resistance because of the role such funds have played in constituency projects, but maintains that the reform would help clarify the respective responsibilities of Parliament and local government.
Prof. Abavare also supports the proposal to allow dual citizens to contest parliamentary elections while retaining existing restrictions on the Presidency and Vice-Presidency.
He says the change would broaden the pool of qualified Ghanaians who can participate in parliamentary politics, particularly those living and working abroad.
He further backs the CRC’s proposal to clarify MPs’ powers to introduce Private Members’ Bills.
Under the proposed changes, MPs would be able to introduce legislation provided it does not create new public offices or impose new tax burdens.
Prof. Abavare believes this would strengthen Parliament’s legislative role and allow backbench MPs to initiate legislation on issues including domestic violence, environmental protection, consumer rights, cybercrime and mental health without waiting for government-sponsored legislation.
Prof. Abavare supports replacing term-end ex-gratia payments for MPs and other Article 71 office-holders with a structured pension scheme.
The proposed pension arrangement would be designed by an Independent Public Emoluments Commission.
He argues that the change could address longstanding public concerns over political office-holder remuneration.
“If enacted, this alone would defuse a generation-long grievance,” he writes.
Prof. Abavare says the proposed reforms should ultimately redefine the role of the MP.
Rather than concentrating on distributing development materials and implementing constituency projects, he wants MPs to focus on legislation, committee work and scrutiny of the Executive.
“No more cement handouts. No more borehole ribbon-cuttings. No more spraying school uniforms at the start of a re-election campaign,” he writes.
He argues that the effectiveness of the reforms will depend not only on constitutional changes but also on whether MPs embrace their core legislative and oversight responsibilities.
Part Three of the commentary forms part of Prof. Abavare’s nine-part analysis of the CRC’s proposed constitutional reforms.
By 1960news.com
