Leave Parliament for only lawyers – Prince Mba
Mr Prince Bagnaba Mba, President of the National Forum for Equity, a human rights Non-Governmental Organisational has suggested that only lawyers should be offered the opportunity to become Members of Parliament.
He said although other professionals had over the years performed creditably well in Parliament, the election of only legal luminaries could enrich the house since they understood the law better.
Mr Mba who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency about the potency of the Parliament in the fourth Republic said: “Law making is best formulated by those with the requisite training and knowledge in legal matters, so there is the need to have amendments about the necessary prequalification to be voted for as a Member of Parliament.
“Parliament should no longer be an open field for everybody irrespective of their capacity to engage in meaningful deliberations”.
Mr Mba said the country was endowed with well-trained legal personalities, who could effectively represent their constituencies in Parliament.
“Parliamentary debates are often hijacked by the knowledgeable legal experts to the detriment of the other members with limited experience.”
He said the legislative arm of government was the spine and without proper coordination, the expected flow of the common aspirations of the people was drastically delayed.
“It is like sending a furniture carpenter to the theatre to perform surgery. Law making is not an ‘all comer’s game’. Although, we have various committees in Parliament, it only incumbent to appreciate the fact that law covers all aspects of life and the need to have square pegs in square holes”.
“The Forum for National Equity congratulates the Ghana Bar Association for keeping up with its mandate in ensuring fundamental human rights and the rule of law”.
Over the years, choosing of the MPs has been left in the hands of the electorate, who vote for their representatives at various constituencies.
Should the suggestion be carried on board, other professionals would now be left out of the contest.
Source: GNA