Former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has stated that the growing trend of Members of Parliament absenting themselves during official sittings stems from their efforts at winning the attention of the sitting president, rather than that of the Speaker.

Appearing on The Point of View with Bernard Avle on Channel One TV, he explained that this behaviour is mostly common among MPs whose party is in government, as they often seek favours or visibility in the hopes of securing ministerial appointments.

He described it as part of a broader issue of political incentives shaping parliamentary conduct.

“The Member of Parliament whose party is in power is more anxious catching the eye of the president to become a minister than anything else, than catching the eye of the Speaker of Parliament.

"No wonder most of the time, Parliament is virtually empty because the system doesn’t have a countervailing mechanism, and you will find everybody looking towards the one and only source, which is Jubilee House,” he stated.

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His comments come in the wake of growing concerns about legislators’ inability to effectively hold the Executive to account; a challenge that, according to watchdog organisations, continues to weaken Parliament’s oversight role and undermine the principles of constitutional checks and balances.

Watch the video below:

“Parliament is mostly empty because MPs are busy chasing the attention of the President, not the Speaker.” - Former Speaker of Parliament Prof. Mike Oquaye says Ghana’s democracy is being weakened by blurred lines of power, calling for a strict separation of powers and a return… pic.twitter.com/SL8sBUkfpH

— CITI FM 97.3 (@Citi973) December 15, 2025