Reports of financial mismanagement, have surfaced in the House of Parliament, sparking public concern over rising expenditures.
As Parliament reconvened yesterday after a recess, criticism mounted over the temporary arrangements for the 275 Members of Parliament (MPs), who are currently operating from a makeshift tent chamber.
The original parliamentary chamber is as usual undergoing renovation, leaving MPs to conduct legislative business in a tent permanently set up at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).
Strikingly, another tent on the State House compound—used for President Nana Akufo-Addo’s second-term swearing-in ceremony in January 2021 and originally erected during the COVID-19 pandemic—has been abandoned despite reports that the state is still paying money on it by way of rent.
Parliament, has opted for a new tent used for entertainment purposes, and called “The Dome”. It has been linked to a private company, Chatter House, and is said to be at a significant cost to the state, deepening concerns about financial waste.
The state-owned Accra International Conference Centre owned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs itself, which could have served as a suitable location for the MPs, remains in disrepair due to years of neglect.
Yesterday, it was obvious among the pressmen who covered Parliament that, something didn’t sit well with them during a media encounter with the Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin. A question thrown at him on the new tent was quickly parried to the management of Parliament.
The public is demanding transparency, regarding the expenses tied to the continuous renovation of the parliamentary chamber, the costs incurred for the unused tent at the State House, and the substantial funds being spent on the current tent facility originally meant for entertainment purposes.
Notably, the parliamentary chamber, has been under frequent refurbishment, occurring almost every three years and under every Speaker of Parliament, yet the exact costs remain undisclosed.
With the financial burden on Parliament becoming a growing issue, calls for accountability and prudent use of public funds are gaining momentum.
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