Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Majority Leader, has suggested lowering the number of seats in Parliament from 275 to 200.
The Effutu constituency member of parliament claimed that his idea will lessen the strain on the public coffers.
“I must say that one critical thing to look at is to put an upper limit on the number of MPs that we must elect each year. It is unpalatable that a small country like Ghana with its many financial problems has 275 MPs. In contrast with all its financial muscle, Australia has 151 and 76 senators. We need a change in the law to stop the unnecessary expansion in the number of seats in our Parliament.”
On March 15, the Effutu lawmaker made the remarks at the GIMPA Law Conference for this year.
He continued by saying that Ghana needs an upper chamber known as the House of Elders. He has suggested that the Council of State be changed to accomplish this in order to achieve his goals.
“I hold the view that Ghana needs an upper chamber, it should be known as the House of Elders whose election shall remain non-partisan and whose primary role shall be to moderate the current parliamentary excesses and extreme partisanship.
“Thus the Council of State should be converted into the Upper Chamber of Parliament…I am not suggesting that the current Council of State is not helpful.”
