The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has bemoaned the spate at which the quality of MPs is falling.

According to him, due to the monetization of primaries, candidates who emerge victorious and subsequently go ahead to win the national parliamentary elections always derelict their parliamentary duties.

Instead, they are always chasing for contracts in order to get money to survive the next election.

He, however, emphasized the need for competent, knowledgeable and dedicated persons to be elected as MPs to promote the effectiveness of Parliament.

Mensah-Bonsu was speaking at the inauguration of an 8-Member Advisory Board of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (MOPA).

Mensah-Bonsu also blamed part of what he described as the increasing monetization and alleged corruption in the country’s electoral processes on high demands by the Ghanaian electorates.

He added that the current process being used by the various political parties is depriving Parliament as an institution of good material.

Inaugurating the Advisory Board, Mensah-Bonsu advised the members to support the ministry’s vision in the performance of its functions for the betterment of the citizenry.

The Chairman of the NMC, Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh on his part described the nomination of members of the Advisory Board as a call to duty, adding that they will work hard to help the MOPA discharge its duties effectively to enhance democratic governance and the realization of the aspirations of the people.

On his part, the Clerk to Parliament, Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah observed that the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies seem not to appreciate the operations of Parliament well which creates a challenge to the work of Parliament.

He was, however, hopeful that MOPA together with the Advisory Board will do its best to make the MDAs better appreciate the work of the legislature in order to advance the progress of the country.