Former Member of Parliament for Kumbungu, Ras Mubarak, has criticised Ghana’s political system, claiming that more than half of sitting MPs do not make any meaningful contribution to parliamentary work.
Speaking on Morning Starr with Joshua Kodjo Mensah on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, Mr Mubarak argued that the lure of ministerial appointments has led many to contest parliamentary seats for the wrong reasons, undermining the core legislative functions of Parliament.
“A lot of MPs or persons struggle to get into Parliament not because they understand the work of legislation or want to pass good laws, but because they anticipate that their party will form government and they’ll stand a better chance of becoming ministers,” he stated.
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He lamented that this trend has weakened Parliament’s performance, particularly in debates and committee work.
“I can tell you that more than 50% of the MPs who sit in Parliament don’t contribute anything to its work; neither at the committee level nor at plenary. There’s just a handful of people who are consistently making contributions, and that should not be the case. Every member of Parliament should be contributing meaningfully to proceedings,” he added.
Mr Mubarak called for constitutional reforms to address what he described as systemic flaws, including the appointment of MPs to ministerial positions and boards of state institutions; practices he said amount to a conflict of interest.
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“We need to take a hard look at our Constitution and be honest that we have a problem. These practices are outdated and compromise Parliament’s independence. MPs shouldn’t be appointed to boards. It’s the clearest case of conflict of interest.”
He expressed optimism that the ongoing constitutional review process would take such concerns seriously and lay the groundwork for a more effective and independent legislature.
“With these kinds of changes, I hope the country sees the urgency and adopts the necessary reforms. It’s time to restore integrity and focus to Parliament.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Hamdia Mohammed
