Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Prof Ransford Gyampo has described as ridiculous, government’s decision to guarantee vehicle loans for Members of Parliament.
According to him, Members of Parliament (MPs) should be made to bear their own burdens rather than putting same on the shoulders of the State.
“The burden for them to acquire vehicles should be on themselves, it no longer should be something that the nation would guarantee because first of all, I’m not sure that all of them will end up paying,” he said.
Speaking in an interview on JoyNews’ PM Express, he stated that the MPs should be out seeking their own loans in order to pay just like ordinary Ghanaians.
“If it’s a loan, and they [MPs] would pay, then let them go and look for the loan like any ordinary Ghanaian would go seek for loan,” he said.
This comes after the Finance Ministry, on July 7, presented to Parliament, a request by the government for a $28 million loan from the National Investment Bank, to finance the purchase of 275 vehicles for the members of the eighth Parliament.
Per the arrangement, the State will bear 60% of the principal sum and all the interest that will accrue on the loan, while MPs will pay the remaining 40%.
The state will absorb $373,333.33 representing 60% while an amount of $248,888.89 representing 40% will be paid by MPs.
Prof Gyampo indicated that, “politicians have lost the legitimacy to make demands or benefitting from such interventions from the state and from the taxpayers’ resources.”
According to him, there can’t always be a situation whereby certain cohorts are made beneficiaries of the national purse, whereas others are denied access to it by being put on a waiting list.
