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| Millions spent on new MPs'' accommodation every 4 years – Parliament reveals |
7/15/2018 |
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Ghana spends millions of cedis every four years to provide accommodation for new members of parliament who do not have homes in Accra.
Consequently, Parliament explained the proposal to construct a parliamentary hotel is “to cut down on the amount of money Parliament spends on hotel accommodation for MPs and other officials”.
A statement signed and issued by the Director of Public Affairs of Parliament Kate Addo noted several countries, including Cote d''Ivoire, South Africa and Canada have such a facility.
The statement was in reaction to a newspaper publication Friday, which suggested the Speaker of Parliament Prof. Mike Oquaye was selling parliamentary land for the construction of a hotel.
It described the impression created in the publication as “erroneous and baseless,” because Parliament has not disposed off any property.
The statement said “no land belonging to parliament will be sold” but however said Parliament is still considering how best to employ public/private partnership for the utilisation of its properties for the interest of Parliament.
“The Speaker alone cannot take any decision whatsoever regarding Parliament’s property without the Parliamentary Service Board,” the statement indicated.
It said Speaker has since assuming office insisted on the need to secure and protect all properties belonging Parliament and that he is “working to retrieve all lands belonging to Parliament”
“It is worth mentioning that under the current Speaker, various steps have been taken to retrieve and secure all lands and other properties belonging to Parliament,” it stated.
It said parliament has for years become a “spending institution” but said there are parliamentary properties which are lying fallow and being taken over by intruders and thieves.
Therese properties, the statement said, could be developed through public-private partnership to generate significant revenue for parliament as is the case in other jurisdiction.
“Any public-spirited person should check the millions of cedis spent on new MPs who do not have homes in the capital at the beginning of every Parliament!” it revealed.
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