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Parliamentary Turnover in Ghana's Fourth Republic

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Parliamentary Turnover in Ghana's Fourth Republic International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume IV, Issue VII, July 2020|ISSN 2454-6186 Parliamentary Turnover in Ghana’s Fourth Republic: Perspectives of Members of Parliament Harrison Kofi Belley Governance Studies Department, Evangelical Presbyterian University College, P. O. Box HP 678, Ho, Ghana Abstract: Since the return to constitutional rule in Ghana in Despite Ghana’s widely respected democratic credentials, one January 1993, the high turnover of parliamentarians in Ghana’s of its key stakeholders, parliament does not seem to flourish fourth republican parliament has been a source of concern to not and is not only considered as the weakest among the three only Members of Parliament (MPs) and the leadership of organs of the state, but also has a high attrition rate of its parliament, but to the academia as well. The minority and members, thereby affecting the performance of the institution. majority leaders in the seventh parliament of the fourth republic of Ghana have bemoaned this practice where most MPs do not Concerns have been raised by few stakeholders in the go past one term of parliament. The aim of this study was to leadership of parliament and individual MPs (both present and examine members of parliament perceptions about impact and past), academics and researchers about the high attrition rate implications of the high attrition rate of MPs on the members of MPs in the fourth republican parliaments and how it is and parliament as an institution. Data for the study was collected contributing to the poor performance of parliament. They in 2019 through semi-structured interviews conducted with bemoaned the practice of where most MPs do not go past four forty-five purposively selected minority and majority MPs of the years (one term) and are replaced with fresh ones. For fourth republic. The findings revealed that the high attrition rate example, the seventh parliament of the fourth republic has 182 of MPs affects the work of parliament and parliamentarians new entrants (first timers) in a 275 member-chamber and of significantly. Parliamentarians reported that the loss of experience MPs to fresh one affects the quality of work done by the 93 continuing members, not many can be described as the legislative arm of government. They revealed further that the “old hands” because they are just serving their second term. outrageously high attrition rate cannot facilitate the growth of What are the factors contributing to this high attrition rate of parliament; neither can it grow our parties. They identified: (i) MPs in Ghana’s parliament, and how can this phenomenon be increasing monetization of internal party elections (ii) unfulfilled controlled? Because of the consensus built around the promises of MPs (iii) pettiness on the part of constituents and negative impact of this phenomenon in our democratic party activists as some of the causes of the high attrition rate of dispensation, there is the need to examine the causes of this parliamentarians in Ghana’s parliament. Given the diversity of canker and consider recommendations to curtail it. This can opinions on the phenomenon, parliamentarians suggested that only happen when empirical evidence has been established. the public affairs department should intensive its education on the workings of parliament and its engagement with the general Quite a number of studies have been undertaken by scholars public. and organizations on various aspects of parliamentary development in Ghana (Centre for Democratic Development Keywords: Ghana, Attrition Rate, Members of Parliament, (CDD-Ghana), Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), Parliament, Constitution, Turnover. and Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA). Despite the insights 1. INTRODUCTION and outcome of these studies, very little has been done about the high attrition rate of members of parliament and how it is hana’s democracy is acclaimed to be a beacon of hope affecting the performance of parliament in Ghana. This paper G for the African continent (Gyimah-Boadi 2013, Alidu examines the perception of members of parliament in the 2019) with an enviable record of seven successful successive fourth republic of Ghana about the high attrition rate of MPs multi-party elections since the country returned to democratic, since the inauguration of parliament on 7th January, 1993. constitutional rule in 1993. Significant gains have been made in institutionalizing democracy and good governance in the The objectives of the study are to: last two and half decades since Ghana came to join otheri) Examine parliamentarians perception about the high attrition African countries in political liberalization in the early 1990s. rate of MPs affects the work of parliament Ghana’s success story includes power alternation on three consecutive occasions with the ruling party losing power ii)and Examine perceptions about how the exit of experienced MPs handing over to the opposition party. This occurred in 2001, with in-depth knowledge about parliament has affected the 2009 and 2017. The media in Ghana is a vibrant one with institutional memory of parliament several newspapers, radio and television stations spread across The paper is divided into four major sections, the first section the length and breadth of the country. The independence of looks at the overview of high attrition rate of parliamentarians the media as guaranteed by the constitution enabled the media in Ghana’s fourth republic. The second section discusses the to strongly discuss policy issues and politicians, calling on theoretical perspective of attrition in parliament of the fourth them to be transparent and accountable to the citizens. www.rsisinternational.org Page 332 International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume IV, Issue VII, July 2020|ISSN 2454-6186 republic. Section three describes the methods and data Coast), Dr. Benjamin Kunbuor (NPP-Nandom), Mahama collection techniques. The fourth and final section discusses Ayariga (NDC-Bawku Central), Freddie Blay (CPP- MPs perceptions about the high attrition rate in Ghana’s Ellembele) and Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom (CPP-Komenda Edina fourth republican parliament. Eguafo Ebeam). The 2012 Parliamentary elections also saw 15 of such MPs rejected. Among them were Samia Nkrumah II. OVERVIEW OF HIGH ATTRITION RATE IN GHANA (CPP-Jomoro), Michael Teye-Nyaunu (NDC-Lower Manya A disturbing aspect of the Fourth Republican Parliament is the Krobo), John Tia Akologo (NDC-Talensi), Moses Asaga high record of mobility of its Members of Parliament. This (NDC-Nabdam), Mr. Ambrose Dery (NPP-Lawra (Nandom), high turnover was set in motion as a result of the boycott of Dr. Kofi Asare (NPP-Akwatia) and Madam Catherine Afeku the 1992 parliamentary elections by the opposition parties. (NPP-Evuale Gwira). In short, MPs must strive to When the fourth republican democratic dispensation started simultaneously balance their responsibilities to the nation on 7th January, 1993, out of the 189 members of the National (Parliament) and to their constituencies. Democratic Congress (NDC) who entered parliament, only III. THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE one in the name of Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has survived till date and unfortunately, is not coming back to the Parliamentary turnover is an important question in political eighth parliament. On the side of the New Patriotic Party science due to its link to salient topics like the roles and (NPP), the first batch of 61 members who entered parliament movement of MPs, relationship between the legislature and in 1997, there is only one left in the seventh parliament and he the executive and the quality of the processes leading to how is in the person of Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu. In the 2016 decisions are taken. general elections, the NDC as the ruling party for instance lost According to Lindberg (2004), parliamentary turnover is 80 seats which involved MPs with experience and in-depth defined in terms of the electoral turnover of the chief political knowledge in parliamentary issues. Again only sixty-nine of executive in presidential elections and a changed majority in the 200 MPs in the first parliament returned to the second parliamentary elections. He indicated that this represents one parliament in 1997 and one hundred and twelve were retained of the core indicators of electoral competitiveness and an from the second to the Third parliament following the 2000 important democratic quality of elections that turnover has general elections. This situation has adversely affected the been linked to its legitimacy. This he further explains to mean development and performance of parliament as valuable that legitimacy of an election can be determined by the extent institutional memory and experience has been quickly lost. at which political stakeholders’ particularly political parties The following factors also contributed to an even greater and candidates accept the outcome of elections in a peaceful turnover. First, there was the increase in the number of and open manner. He posits that in order to measure electoral constituencies to 230. In most of the new constituencies, fresh legitimacy, some indicators such as loser’s acceptance of candidates contested for all parties. Second, several of the election results, peacefulness of the elections at all stages – NDC MPs who had had a third term mostly parliamentary before, during and after needs to be identified. He further committee ranking members stepped aside. They include I.K. noted that legitimacy of elections can also be measured by the Adjei Mensah, deputy minority leader, Steve Akorlie peacefulness of the elections, defined in terms of whether (Finance), Kofi Attor (Foreign Affairs), Kosi Kedem violence occurred at any stages of the elections, which is a (Education) and Joseph Ackah (Defence & Interior); a few symptom of failed institutionalization. lost party primaries and some lost the actual election. Seven Members who returned to the fourth parliament after their Matland and Studlar (2004:92) defines parliamentary turnover defeat in previous elections were Cletus Avoka (Zebilla) Dr. as the proportion of membership that changes from one Alfred Tia (Nalerigu-Gambaga), Dominic B.
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