Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has said the monetisation of politics is creating an unstable parliament and endangering the country’s democracy.
The Tamale Central MP said this phenomenon has led to a high attrition rate in the House.
Speaking at a forum on the need to nurture career legislators, Mr Iddrisu explained that the canker has affected parliamentary activities including laws regarding vigilantism “and our inability to punish it.”
“More recently, the monetisation of our democracy that will not only create an unstable parliament but will undermine the entire democratic process and denying the people of Ghana what is described as democratic dividends,” he said.
Haruna Iddrisu further lamented what he believes is the dwindling number of members interested in the real work of lawmaking in the current parliament.
“It appears today that democracy in Ghana is on sale when it comes to competitive democratic politics. If you were to ask me to make an assessment, even when it comes to legislative drafting, I cannot count more than six to 10 members of parliament, particularly among the young ones that we call newcomers.”
The MP added that “I probably can narrow down to only 5 newcomers who are interested in the rudiments of lawmaking.”
Siding with Mr Iddrisu, Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu also added that the work of lawmaking requires a lot of experience adding that MPs need to stay longer in the house to effectively execute the mandate.
“Coming to terms with lawmaking is not a one-term or two-term business. The longer a person stays in parliament, the better he becomes in this endeavor,” he said.
