A former Tamale Central MP has questioned the rationale for the allocation of over ¢45.5 million for the construction of offices for MPs offices without prior approval from the Parliamentary Service Board.

Inusah Fusieni who chaired the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee in the 7th Parliament said the plan to build such offices is a misplaced priority.

Questioning both the Majority and Minority Leaders, Mr Fuseini asked, “Who initiated the proposal brought before Parliament for consideration? Who made the calculation and who got government to make allocation towards the construction of the offices?”

He demanded that Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu and Haruna Iddrisu provide detailed answers to his questions.

According to him, the Parliamentary Service Board is responsible for the general policy of Parliamentary Service, hence, it is unconstitutional for MPs to go take a decision when board was yet to be constituted.

He also cast doubt over whether “Parliament sat on the matter and agreed in principle that they would need offices”.

He told JoyNews that he is “aware majority of the MPs are not aware of the nitty-gritties of the proposal.”

On Wednesday, government revealed that it will provide ¢45.5 million this year to build constituency offices for 70 Members of Parliament (MPs).

The amount, which is stipulated in the 2021 Budget, caters for the first stage of the construction project, which would provide constituency offices for all the 275 MPs by 2024.

A report of the Special Budget Committee of Parliament, presented to the plenary on Tuesday, said the Parliamentary Service intended “to construct 70 of such offices annually so that by the end of 2024, all 275 Constituencies will be provided.”

The constituency offices are expected to facilitate the work of Members of Parliament by creating a non-partisan and neutral office for all constituents to interact with their representatives.