Former Tamale Central MP, Inusah Fuseini, has called for the establishment of administrative structures in Parliament to tackle the issue of absenteeism among Members of Parliament.
This call comes in the wake of the recent boycott by the Minority in solidarity with Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, during his court hearing.
The boycott by the Minority has led to a suspension of Parliamentary proceedings due to the lack of quorum, impeding government business in the process. According to Mr. Fuseini, the constitution mandates that an MP who is absent from Parliament for fifteen days without valid reasons and permission from the Speaker should lose their seat.
However, many legislators have exploited a loophole by being absent for 14 days and showing up on the 15th day, thereby avoiding the consequence of losing their seat. Mr. Fuseini emphasized the need for Parliament to implement administrative structures to enforce this provision effectively.
During an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story, Mr. Fuseini stated, “Parliament must put in administrative structures because the constitution and the provision is just a framework.”
He further added, “Parliament itself must come up with an administrative structure to complement what is the constitution and make sure that Parliamentarians do not exploit the loopholes to absent themselves from Parliament and thereby cause government business to suffer.”
The issue of absenteeism in Parliament has been a recurring challenge, and Mr. Fuseini’s call for administrative structures to address this problem highlights the need for accountability and responsibility among MPs.
