Aspiring MPs advised against vain political promises

Mr Alagskoma Asakia, member of NDC Council of Elders in the Upper East Region, has urged aspiring Members of Parliament (MPs) to consider supporting human capacity development since it was critical to empowering people economically.

He said if peoples’ capacities were built, those from low resourced families could undertake income generating activities to sponsor their own wards.

Mr Asakia said giving out money and paying fees for constituents were not what Ghanaians needed as they could not be sustained.

He made the statements in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on his views about the election of MPs during the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Primaries in Bolgatanga.

He said vain political promises made and not fulfilled made the citizenry lose faith and confidence in politicians.

Mr Asakia asked MPs to ensure that they fought for their share of the Common Fund allotted for their specific assemblies, seek external funding and ensure transparency and accountability.

He said promises MPs made such as, “I will construct roads,  bring water and electric energy to the people”,  should be the role of the District Assemblies since MPs often failed to achieve them thereby giving the people reason to blame them for non performance.

He said if MPs played their role well, the citizenry would not be asking them for loans, school fees and food each time they visited their constituencies.

On how to improve the situation, he urged, the Assemblies to go beyond relying on the common fund and improve upon generating funds internally.

Source: GNA