450-seat chamber: Go 'double-track' if parliament is too small – Ephson to MPs

Pollster Ben Ephson has told Ghana’s Parliament to run a double-track system if it believes the current chamber cannot contain the MPs.

The Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch newspaper told Felicity Nelson on Class91.3FM’s Straight Talk on Thursday, 11 July 2019 that: “They [legislators] should go double-track if they think the place is too small”.

He explained that Ghana’s colonial masters, the British, on whose system Ghana’s democracy and governance are modelled, have their parliamentarians sitting on “benches”, thus, wondered why Ghanaian MPs would desire a $200-million chamber.

Parliament had to eventually suspend its plan to build the new structure after an avalanche of public furore.

Social media – Facebook and Twitter – were awash with harsh criticism against the Ghanaian parliament and its leadership over the matter.

Some lawmakers, especially from the Minority side, like the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; Ras Mubarak, MP for Kumbungu; and Tamale North MP Alhassan Suhuyini, have described the move as needless.

Also, some lawmakers from the Majority side, including Samuel Ayeh-Paye, Ayensuano; and Mr Patrick Boamah, Okaikwei Central, have also said a new chamber is not necessary.