Again, High rate of Attrition has hit Ghana’s Parliament- Kpesese Writes

Posted by blessing Roselyn boateng in FEATURE, Parliament, POLITICS // 0 Comments

Come January 2021, the 8th Parliament of Ghana will witness a considerable number of first term lawmakers, following the outcome of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary primary elections.

Provisional results indicate that over thirty (30) sitting Members of Parliament on the ticket of the governing NPP, lost their bid to retain the tickets on behalf of the party.

This development is likely to render the 8th Parliament as one of the youngest in the history of Ghana’s Parliamentary democracy, since the promulgation of the 1992 Constitution.

Delegates of the NPP in over Hundred (100) Constituencies across the country, went to the polls on June 20, 2020, to elect new Parliamentary Candidates to represent the party in the upcoming 2020 General elections.

Very notable talents, including Chairman of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, Ben Abdallah Banda, who is also incumbent MP for Offinso South in the Ashanti Region, Chairman of the Finance Committee and MP for New Juaben South, Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah, as well as the Chairman of the Defence and Interior Committee, who’s also MP for Mpraeso, Seth Kwame Acheampong, loosing their re-election bids.

Civil Society and Leadership of Parliament have on numerous occasions, complained about the attrition rate of Members of Parliament over the years.

This, they claim was not good enough in helping build Ghana’s fledging Parliamentary democracy, hence the urgent need for Political parties to protect incumbent Members of Parliament.

Almost every Parliament of the fourth Republic since 1993, has witnessed the election of barely new members into the Legislature, where much resource is expended in training them for their legislative work.

The inability of political parties to protect incumbent Members of Parliament, have always been a talking point for watchers; a phenomenon described as injurious to the development of technical competences of lawmakers.

Some sitting Members of Parliament on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), also lost their bid to represent the party during its primaries last year.

Here’s a list of incumbent Members of Parliament who have lost their bid in the NPP primaries so far…

1. Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah, New Juaben South.

2. Daniel Okyem Aboagye, Bantama

3. Ahaji Saad Habib, Ngleshie Amanfro

4. Ben Abdullah, Offinso South

5. Kennedy Kankam, Nhyieso

6. William Quaitoo, Akim Oda

7. Kofi Brako, Tema Central

8. Patrick Al- Hassan Adamah Sisala West

9. Collins Owusu Amankwah, Manhyia North

10. Kofi Ada, Navrongo Central

11. Vincent Sowah Odotei, La Dadekotopon