Audio By Carbonatix
Member of the Council of State Sam Okudzeto says the size of Ghana's parliament is 'too big'.
He told Joy News' news magazine programme The Pulse Tuesday, keeping 275 MPs in parliament is a democratic bill too high for the taxpayer.
The lawyer with more than 50 years at the bar condemned the practice of re-sizing of constituencies saying Ghana must learn from best practice.
Pointing to the US system, the former president of the Ghana Bar Association said the size of congress does not change anytime the Americans resize their congressional districts.
"...they just adjust according to the population, they don't increase numbers", Mr. Okudzeto who was North Tongu MP between 1969 and 1972 said.
Over here "we just increase the numbers", he told sit-in host Ayisha Ibrahim.
After independence in 1957, Ghana begun its experiment with parliamentary democracy with a 104-seater parliament.
In 60 years since, the chamber has more than doubled in size.
From 104 Mps under Ghana's first President, Ghana's parliament was 140-seater chamber under Prime minister Dr. Busia of the second republic.
The only time it reduced its size was under the Third Republic (1979 to 1981) when it went back to the Independence figure of 104 MPs.
Since the fourth republic which began in 1992, the number of MPs have been on a relentless increase.
Ghana began under President Rawlings with 200 MPs. After 12 years, it moved to 230 MPs during the second term of president Kufuor.
The current 275 MPs was determined in the 2012 general elections.
The US with a 300-million population has 535 members of Congress. Ghana with more than 25 million ha 275 MPs.
Watch video
Latest Stories
-
2026 World Cup: What would Ghana lose without Thomas Partey against Panama?
1 hour -
Kylian Mbappe France’s all-time top scorer in win over Senegal
3 hours -
Confidence high as Vice President visits Black Stars ahead of Panama showdown
3 hours -
BECE 2026: Five important steps JHS graduates should take before starting SHS
3 hours -
2026 World Cup: Ghana fails in bid to have Partey’s Canada visa denial overturned
3 hours -
University of Nottingham cyberattack triggers CSA warning to Ghanaian universities
3 hours -
Ghana-South Africa Business Chamber condemns xenophobic attacks on Ghanaians
3 hours -
“US Justice Department hasn’t gotten back to Ghana that it has served Ofori-Atta” – OSP
3 hours -
Deputy Energy Minister reaffirms Ghana’s commitment to gas-led development at West Africa Gas Summit
4 hours -
Protect Ghanaians in South Africa through diplomacy – Bosome Freho MP to gov’t
4 hours -
About 49,000 Ghanaians still live in South Africa – Bosome Freho MP discloses
4 hours -
Bosome Freho MP urges South Africa to take decisive action against Xenophobic attacks
4 hours -
Mfantsipim SHS final-year student commits suicide
4 hours -
Complete Farmer launches CF Grower and CF Buyer to deepen digital agriculture in Ghana
4 hours -
Nukunu Sports Academy to support young football enthusiast until he turns 14
4 hours