MP's Common Fund must be abolished

Odumase (Ash), April, 30, GNA - Mr George Kyei-Baffour, a former President of the National Association of Local Government (NALAG), has advocated the scrapping of the MP's Common Fund, saying is not only illegal but also undermines the decentralization concept. He said the practice was a contravention of the 1992 Constitution, since it makes provision for only the establishment of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF)

Mr Kyei-Baffour quoted Article 252 Clause 02 of the Constitution to buttress his point and said Parliament was mandated to allocate not less than five percent of the country's total revenue to the District Assemblies for development.

He said since there was no constitutional provision backing the MP's Common Fund, coupled with the fact that were "not agents of development" it was appropriate the fund was abolished.

Mr Kyei-Baffour, speaking at the launch of the 10th Constitution Week celebration at Odumase near Konongo in the Asante-Akim North Municipality, said doing this was in the best interest of parliament itself. Mr Kyei-Baffour complained about persistent abuse of the decentralization concept by successive governments.

He said the practice where government awarded contracts in Accra and deductions were made from the DACF by the sector Minister before its release, constituted gross infraction of the constitution. Mr Alhasan Yakubu, Ashanti Regional Director of National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), said it was imperative for Ghanaians to be conversant with the constitution to enable them defend their rights. He said the NCCE was committed to educating the public on their civic responsibilities and called on the government to adequately resource the commission to enable it execute its mandate.