In a startling revelation, Zebilla Member of Parliament (MP) has candidly stated that Members of Parliament (MP) in Ghana, are compelled to engage in corrupt practices to meet the financial demands of their constituents and secure their seats.
Cletus Avoka, has pointed fingers at the overwhelming demands placed on lawmakers by the public, as a driving force behind corruption within the Legislature.
Avoka’s remarks, add fuel to the ongoing debate about the perceived corruption within Ghanaian politics.
In an exclusive interview with EIB Network Parliamentary Correspondent, Ibrahim Alhassan, Avoka, who has served in parliament for a cumulative 24 years, expressed his frustration with the incessant financial requests from constituents.
He argued that, these demands make it nearly impossible for MPs to avoid engaging in corrupt practices.
Avoka disclosed that many MPs, are increasingly utilizing their positions for business ventures, instead of focusing on legislative responsibilities.
The veteran MP, highlighted the everyday challenges faced by lawmakers and criticized the media, urging them to advocate for MPs and defend them against the prevalent public perception of corruption.
“The pressmen should have been fighting for the MPs. They should have been defending the MPs. Everyday MoMo. Everyday MoMo. Somebody is sick and has to go to the hospital, you have to send money, somebody is going to do a wedding you have to send money, they are going to do outdooring, they are asking for you. They are asking for school fees and whatnot.
Many of us lose the election or Primaries not because we’re not doing well, but because we’re not giving money out. How do you give money out if you come and stay in parliament for 8 hours debating? You’re debating for 5 or 8 hours, you go home in the evening to sleep, and the following day you have no money to send. You have to go out and look for the money,” he lamented.
Avoka, emphasized that the pressure to meet financial demands often leads to MPs losing elections or primaries, not due to a lack of performance but because they are unable to provide monetary assistance.
He questioned the feasibility of giving money while spending long hours debating in parliament.
There is a widely held perception of corruption in parliament. Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin in the past, had categorically stated MPs engage in several corrupt activities to meet demands on them.
Asked whether the development is the basis for the assertion of the former Nadowli-Kaleo MP that all MPs are corrupt, the former Interior minister, answered in the affirmative.
Avoka admitted; “If I’m not corrupt, how can I maintain my seat? You have to be corrupt in one way or another. You have to look for more resources. If you have to look for more resources, you have to go out and do some work for a contractor. As a lawyer, maybe prepare a bill, or do this and that and whatnot? So that I have half attention here, half attention outside because I need more resources to be able to maintain my seat. Otherwise, you’ll be a one-term MP. Many of those who are one-term or two-term MPs it’s not because they don’t know or they are not working but they are not dashing out money.”
Avoka’s comments align with the concerns raised by others in the legislature, including First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu, who revealed in a separate interview that he decided to quit parliament due to unreasonable demands from his constituency, including requests to personally handle liquid waste from public toilets he built.
Osei-Owusu’s departure, raises questions about the challenges faced by MPs and the toll these demands take on their personal and professional lives.
The revelations from both Avoka and Osei-Owusu, are likely to reignite discussions on the need for comprehensive reforms to address the perceived corruption within the Ghanaian Parliament.
CDD’s Afro barometer on corruption has always cited the Legislature on the league table. Ghana has stagnated on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index for the past 3 years without any improvement.
The Bekwai MP, also stated in an exclusive interview with the Ibrahim Alhassan that the tipping point came when locals asked him to dislodge liquid waste from the toilets he built, even though attendants were charging for the use of the facilities.
The lawmaker shook his head and with a sly grin on his face, laughter in his voice said ‘‘what is worse is, and that is the worst part. Indeed I will confess to you. One of the reasons that made me think it is enough, that I’m not going to seek any public office again was some communities demanding that their public toilet is full, and if I don’t have those drained then they won’t vote. I kept asking myself, was it all worth it?”
The 4 term lawmaker who entered Parliament as an Independent Candidate and later switched to the New Patriotic Party will no longer return to the house of the legislature next year.
There has been much speculation as to why a legislator of his quality, sitting in what political pundits would refer to as a “safe seat,” would give up on his parliamentary career. It appears that he decided to quit because of some irrational requests from certain people.
He added, “The first thing is that, it is your personal responsibility to provide a toilet facility for yourself. Now for some reason, we use the state money to build one. It’s been given to you, you use it, it’s full, you come back and drain it for me else I won’t vote! Somebody has not even gotten a toilet at all”.
