The Executive Director of the African Center for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA), Dr Rasheed Draman, has urged parliament to implement strict sanctions to combat absenteeism among its members.

Dr Draman's call to action comes in response to complaints from the Minority that many Majority members have neglected their parliamentary duties to participate in campaign tours of the governing New Patriotic Party flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia since the House resumed from recess.

In an interview with Citi FM, Dr Draman expressed deep concern about the persistent issue of absenteeism, noting that it has plagued multiple sessions of parliament.

He emphasised that this constant problem undermines the legislative process and hampers effective governance.

Dr Draman criticised the current parliament for failing to address absenteeism adequately. He pointed out that despite existing sanctions and measures outlined in the constitution, they are rarely enforced, allowing the issue to persist unchecked.

He attributed this lapse to a lack of accountability and responsibility among parliament's leadership.

To tackle the problem, Dr Draman proposed that parliament should explore alternative methods to enforce attendance and ensure accountability among its members.

He stressed that stricter sanctions and more robust enforcement mechanisms are necessary to uphold the integrity and functionality of the legislative body.

By taking this action against absenteeism, Dr Draman believes that parliament can improve its performance and better serve the interests of the public.

”They are doing work that is not supposed to be their work. Parliament is not on recess and so during the recess, they could follow the Vice President or for that matter any presidential candidate of their choice. But even then, it raises issues because, when they are on recess, that is when they are supposed to be with their constituents.

“For me, that brings me to the issue of absenteeism that we are grappling with as a country. And unfortunately, parliament, that is this Parliament as well as all the seven parliaments before this one have not been able to handle this issue of absenteeism," he said.