[ 2016-11-12 ]

Parliament's oversight responsibility questioned by former minister
Former Interior Minister under the erstwhile
Kufour administration says Parliament has not been
thoroughly effective in carrying out its oversight
responsibilities.

According to Albert Kan-Dapaah, parliament is
unable to check the president because the majority
or parliamentarians belong to his party.

Speaking at a symposium organized by Forum for
Media Accountability and Democratic Governance in
Accra, Wednesday under the theme, ‘Redefining
our Ethos as a society’, the former minister
said, “Parliament has not been very effective in
its oversight duties.

"You would wonder to what extent they in
parliament have this independence to hold the
president to account. How can they, when the
majority of the people there belong to the
president’s party?"

"How can they, when those on the government side
have been assured by the Constitution that the
majority of the ministers will be picked from
among their lot,” Mr Kan-Dapaah queried.

He noted that parliament still continues to be
influenced by elements in government and until the
House focuses on its main responsibility - which
is not legislative only - the fight against
corruption in the country will have no meaningful
results.

He said the primary duty of government is to
provide public goods and services to citizens with
public funds provided by citizens and while doing
this, it must be checked.

"In the absence of checks, government led by the
president will go out of line and that is why
“our constitution and public financial
management system in this country, recognizes the
urgent need for extra vigilance in protecting our
public funds."

"But if those who are supposed to check the
president are appointed by him, then they will put
more effort on pleasing him rather than delivering
on their mandate," he noted.

Other accountability institutions like the Auditor
General’s Department and the Judiciary, Mr
Kan-Dapaah noted also lack independence in this
regard.

Mr. Kan-Dapaah believes "the fear of applying
sanctions against those who are found complicit in
various forms of impropriety in the public sector
is dragging back the nation’s fight against
corruption."

He said government needs to decouple itself
entirely from these institutions to afford them
the impetus to independently hold public officers
to account.

“In order to hold somebody accountable, what you
need is not the best academic degree in auditing
in law or in any discipline. What you really need
is independence, clearly it doesn’t make sense
for you to ask my wife to come and audit me.

“But for some strange reasons, the auditor
general who is supposed to monitor the president
is appointed by the president,” he indicated.

Clearly the ability of this person to hold the
president and govenrment to account is
questionable, he said.

Source - Joyfm

... go Back