Parliament has approved GH¢1.619 billion to finance the operations of the House and the Parliamentary Service for the 2026 fiscal year, but Members of Parliament (MPs) have raised strong objections, describing the allocation as insufficient to support effective legislative work.

The approved budget will cater for MPs' and staff salaries and allowances, administrative goods and services, committee work, oversight activities, ICT systems and e-Parliament upgrades, as well as the upkeep of parliamentary infrastructure.

It will also fund research, documentation, constituency engagements and other logistical needs.

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According to a report by graphic.com.gh on December 15, 2025, MPs from both sides of the House expressed concerns that the allocation falls far below Parliament’s actual operational requirements.

Debating the report of the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs on December 10, MPs cited enduring challenges such as the lack of constituency offices, inadequate working tools for oversight, and worsening conditions at the Job 600 complex.

Presenting the committee’s position, its leadership noted that Parliament’s original budget proposal of more than GH¢4.6 billion was reduced to GH¢1.619 billion, a cut they said has stalled critical projects, including the establishment of constituency consultancy offices and the refurbishment of essential facilities like elevators and washrooms.

They warned that persistent underfunding threatens Parliament’s efficiency and independence, urging the Ministry of Finance to explore a dedicated funding mechanism or consider supplementary allocations to meet Parliament’s needs.

The NPP MP for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, argued that Parliament should receive a guaranteed share of national revenue, similar to statutory funds such as GETFund and the National Health Insurance Fund, to protect its oversight role.

Similarly, NPP MP for Walewale, Dr Abdul Kabiru Tiah Mahama, said Parliament operates largely at the discretion of the Executive, receiving only about 40 per cent of its budget requests.

He added that MPs often lack proper constituency offices and raised concerns about accessibility challenges within the parliamentary complex.

“Both the minister and his deputy are members of this House. They witness firsthand what MPs go through,” he lamented.

Offering a different perspective, the NDC MP for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, said the funding gaps were the result of years of inadequate incremental increases by previous administrations and could not be resolved within a single budget cycle.

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He urged MPs to manage expectations while working towards steady improvements, expressing optimism that allocations would continue to rise under the current finance minister, who previously served in Parliament.

Responding on behalf of government, Deputy Minister of Finance and NDC MP for Asuogyaman, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, said the budget allocation reflected prevailing fiscal constraints and was applied fairly across all ministries and agencies.

He explained that the reduction of Parliament’s budget request was consistent with cuts made to other arms of government and noted that Parliament recorded the highest percentage increase over 45 per cent from 2025 to 2026.

MRA/AE

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