Minority Raises Alarm Over Parliamentary Backlog

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has expressed serious concern over what it describes as the growing backlog of parliamentary business, warning that the delays are undermining Parliament’s constitutional mandate to hold the Executive accountable and effectively serve the people of Ghana.

The concerns were raised by the Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, during debate on the Business Statement on the floor of Parliament, where he criticized the pace of parliamentary work and called for urgent measures to improve efficiency in the legislative process.

Addressing the House, Mr. Annoh-Dompreh questioned the decision to schedule only 27 parliamentary questions for the week when more than 200 questions submitted by Members of Parliament remain unanswered. He argued that parliamentary questions are one of the most important oversight mechanisms available to legislators, enabling them to seek explanations and accountability from government ministers on matters affecting the nation.

According to him, the continued failure of ministers to appear before Parliament to respond to questions diminishes the effectiveness of this oversight function and weakens Parliament’s constitutional responsibility to scrutinize the actions and policies of the Executive.

He stressed that delayed responses often render parliamentary questions obsolete, as issues that require timely government explanations lose their relevance over time. He therefore urged the leadership of the House and the Executive to ensure that ministers honour their parliamentary obligations without unnecessary delays.

The Minority Chief Whip also expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace at which government legislation is being introduced to Parliament. He noted that Members had earlier been informed that approximately 69 government bills were expected to be presented during the current meeting of Parliament. However, only a small number have so far been laid before the House.

Mr. Annoh-Dompreh warned that the delay in presenting government bills could adversely affect Parliament’s legislative agenda and slow the implementation of important national policies and reforms that require legislative approval.

He consequently called on the Majority Leadership to intensify its engagement with government ministers and ministries to ensure that the expected bills are submitted promptly for parliamentary consideration.

Beyond legislative business, the Minority also highlighted what it described as an alarming accumulation of work before parliamentary committees. Mr. Annoh-Dompreh disclosed that more than 400 referrals remain pending before various committees, describing the situation as unacceptable for an institution expected to provide timely oversight and legislative scrutiny.

He urged the Majority to prioritise clearing the backlog by facilitating the work of parliamentary committees and ensuring that outstanding reports, referrals and statutory documents are considered without further delay.

According to the Minority, allowing critical parliamentary business to accumulate weakens institutional efficiency and delays decisions on issues of national importance.

The caucus maintained that Parliament must function with greater urgency, efficiency and accountability if it is to fulfil its constitutional mandate. It stressed that citizens expect a responsive legislature capable of carrying out its oversight, law-making and representative responsibilities effectively.

The Minority concluded that improving the pace of parliamentary business is essential to strengthening democratic governance, enhancing accountability within government and ensuring that Parliament remains responsive to the expectations of the Ghanaian people.

Author: Joyce Owusu