Dr. John Osae-Kwapong, a Democracy and Development Fellow at CDD-Ghana, has urged reflection on the vital role of Parliament and its relationship with citizens as Ghana marks Constitution Day today, January 7, 2025.
He emphasized that this relationship requires urgent repair and should be a top priority for the newly inaugurated 9th Parliament.
Dr. Osae-Kwapong stressed that MPs must represent their constituents’ will, ensuring parliamentary decisions benefit them, despite challenges when collective decisions conflict with local views.
“At midnight on January 7, 2025, Ghanaians witnessed the inauguration of the 9th Parliament following the successful completion of the country’s ninth election since the transition to constitutional rule in 1992.
“It is important to remember that in four of the nine elections held so far, Ghanaians have voted for change. In consequence, ruling parties have peacefully handed over power to the main opposition party. There is a lot to celebrate about this milestone and how far, politically, the current constitution has brought us”.
Dr. John Osae-Kwapong
Dr. Osae-Kwapong further observed that citizens expect MPs to be both lawmakers and agents of socio-economic development, as reflected in NCCE reports.
He indicated that despite some MPs denying this role, their stance must align with constituents’ expectations.
Accordingly, he called for the 9th Parliament to address key issues in the MP-citizen relationship, stressing the urgency of restoring trust between citizens and MPs.
He highlighted the alarming decline in trust, with only 26% of Ghanaians expressing confidence in their MPs in 2024, down from 68% in 2005, according to Afrobarometer. “With this level of trust, it is easy to conclude that nine elections later, citizens do not believe their MPs truly represent their interests”.
The Democracy Expert pointed out that it is unsurprising that many citizens do not contact their MPs about important issues, maintaining that improving this communication is crucial.
According to him, a 2009 NCCE study revealed that 67% of Ghanaians never approached their MPs.
He noted that this trend was echoed by Afrobarometer, which found that 85% of citizens had never contacted their MPs between 2002 and 2024. “In the absence of frequent contact, how do MPs gain a sense of what their constituents expect of them?”
Osae-Kwapong Calls for Better Communication, Reforms in 9th Parliament
Moreover, Dr. John Osae-Kwapong highlighted the need to establish multiple channels for citizens to contact their MPs, addressing the perception that MPs are unresponsive.
Osae-Kwapong emphasized that effective representation requires listening to constituents.
Citing the 2024 Afrobarometer survey, he noted that 82% of respondents felt their MPs “only sometimes or never” listen, up from 73% in 2002.
“And MPs must, whether by their actions or inactions, work in this new Parliament to change the growing perception that they are corrupt. As far back as Afrobarometer Round 3 (2005) only 16 percent of Ghanaians believed “most/all” MPs as being involved in corruption.
“Now compare that to Round 10 (2024) where 51 percent say “most/all” MPs are involved in corruption. This is certainly not helpful in building the kind of positive relationship between citizens and their Members of Parliament”.
Dr. John Osae-Kwapong
Accordingly, Dr. Osae-Kwapong emphasized that Members of the 9th Parliament must not ignore these pressing issues.
He stressed that alongside the challenges of trust and communication, there is a deep-rooted dissatisfaction among Ghanaians regarding Parliament’s performance.
He pointed out that once enjoying a high approval rating of 65% in 2005 (Afrobarometer Round 3), Parliament’s approval has plummeted to just 32% in 2024 (Afrobarometer Round 10).
According to Osae-Kwapong, this sharp decline reflects growing disillusionment with MPs and underscores the urgent need for Parliament to rebuild its credibility.
He indicated that this also underscores the need to enhance engagement with constituents and restore public confidence in its role as a representative body. “Good luck to the 9th Parliament and Happy Constitution Day”.
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