Member of Parliament for Ewutu constituency in the Central Region, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has admitted that failure to educate their constituents on their roles has given rise to concerns of their usefulness to the state.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin said it is essential for the public to appreciate the role of the Parliamentarian in order for the state to make resources available to them to function effectively.

Sections of the Ghanaian public are of the view that the nation is not getting value for the money spent to maintain MPs in office for four years. Some say the MPs have under-performed, mainly because they are unable to sponsor developmental projects to their constituencies.

But speaking on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM, Wednesday, December 3, the Effutu MP said although the public impression about legislators is misplaced, the MPs themselves have not been able to openly discuss their roles as well as challenges that inhibit the discharge of those obligations.

According to him, the primary role of the MP is to make laws for institutions and perform oversight roles for state agencies. The other ‘unofficial’ role he noted, is being agents of development which has rather become the major yardstick with which their performance is measured by the public.

“In the past we have not been able to communicate well with our constituents or the populace for them to appreciate the role we play,” Mr. Afenyo-Markin told host of the Show, Kojo Yankson.

“I would encourage all my colleague MPs to confront this issue. We talk about corruption; if MPs are not well paid…obviously you are likely to be compromised. So it is important irrespective of cost to the public purse, we should discuss it for people to appreciate that those in public service have a role to play and the state must make reasonable provision to enable them function effectively,” he advised.

The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Ho-Central, Benjamin Kpodo corroborated the views espoused by his colleague on the minority.

“We have chosen a particular course of democratic practice,” he stated, indicating that without Parliament, government cannot raise taxes neither can it enter into agreements with international bodies in accordance with the law.  

“It’s not that people are not getting direct value for money from MPs….We are playing our role in the political set-up,” he defended strongly.