Has the Mandate of the MP Shifted?

Members of Parliament (MPs) are also known as law makers or legislators. Essentially, they are elected by their constituents to participate in the making of good, productive and progressive laws for the people or the citizens.

Other functions of the legislators include, representation, deliberation, investigation, oversight responsibility, vetting of state actors like Vice President, if a vacancy occurs, (reference to the vetting of the late Vice-President, H.E. Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur when the then President Prof. Evans Atta Mills passed on and his Vice, was elevated to the position of the President of the nation) Ministers of state, Deputy Ministers, Judges of the Supreme Court including the Chief Justice are also vetted by Parliament.

The MPs also have the power to invite other public officers to appear before them to answer queries on the audited accounts of the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the state through the Public Accounts Committee).

They extend or have the power to invite the Ministers of state to answer any question pertaining to their job. The questions are both nationally based or constituency-based questions.

It must be stated that every constituency can be found in one or more Metropolitan, Municipal and District of our country. For instance, Ayawaso East Constituency can be found in the Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly with the Municipal Chief Executive being the political head and representative of the President.

The Assemblies are expected to be agents of development. They are supposed to be providing the infrastructure needs of the people at that level of our local governance structure, such as schools, hospitals, police stations, provision of potable water and other basic amenities.
They are also to assist in the provision of scholarships, desks, and all the necessary needs of the people.

It is very ironic that the law makers or MPs have taken over or have been compelled by the voters or constituents to become the agents of development instead of law makers.

It is clear that their mandate has changed or shifted from their primary duties of law making, representation and deliberstion to the provision of development projects. Every amenity or infrastructure concern is now pushed by the constituents on the throats of MPs.

Is it also because of the numerous promises they, the MPs have made to their constituents during the electioneering campaigns?

Now you win power and the people want their share of development projects.
Our MPs, should be measured in their promises especially during their anxious moments to win political power.

Mid last year, the majority leader and the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu was attacked by his constituents because according to them he failed to get their roads done.

Interedtingly, there is a Municipal Assembly in the constituency. The MCE was not the victim, rather the MP.
There are many other MPs who are receiving similar attacks and condemnations from their constituents anytime a lacuna on development occurs.

At times, the rivalry between the MPs and their MMDCEs also compel the law-makers as we say in our parlance, changes direction (their mandate) to the provision of development projects.

Can the MPs stick to their mandate as defined by the Constitution or dualised their roles?

By Ahmed Osumanu Halid
Nima-441