How To Become An MP In Ghana

Below is How To Become An MP In Ghana

Constitutionally, the qualifications of a person aspiring to enter into parliament are explicitly enshrined in The 1992 Republican constitution article (94)

(1) Subject to the provisions of this article, a person shall not be qualified to be a Member of Parliament unless –

(a) He is a citizen of Ghana, has attained the age of twenty-one (21) years, and is a registered voter;

(b) He is resident in the constituency for which he stands as a candidate for election to Parliament or has resided there for a total period of not less than five (5) years out of the ten (10) years immediately preceding the election for which he stands, or he hails from that constituency; and

(c) He has paid all his taxes or made arrangements satisfactory to the appropriate authority for the payment of his taxes.

The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Ghana, is Ghana's Premier Public Policy Institute, established in 1989 with a mission to promote good governance, democracy, and a free and fair market economy.

Massive avouchment for the educational threshold for MPs in Ghana

The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has conducted a survey on the Public Perception of Members of Parliament with support/assistance from the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE). A total of two thousand three hundred and forty-six (2,346) respondents participated in the exercise, drawn from all ten (10) regions of Ghana with ages above sixteen (16).

The respondents were asked whether there should be a cut-of-point in terms of academic background to qualify as an MP in Ghana, and if so, what standard should be (being given the option of English proficiency, a High School Certificate, a University Degree, or some other level of education).

A deluging majority of respondents, some 84%, agreed that MPs should have a minimum level of education.

Article 103 stipulates that:

(1) Parliament shall appoint standing committees and other committees as may be necessary for the effective discharge of its functions.

(2) The standing committees shall be appointed at the first meeting of Parliament after the election of the Speaker and the two (2) Deputy Speakers.

(3) Committees of Parliament shall be charged with such functions, including the investigation and inquiry into the activities and administration of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) as Parliament may determine, and such investigations and inquiries may extend to proposals for legislation.

(4) Every member of Parliament shall be a member of at least one of the standing committees.

(5) The composition of the committees shall, as much as possible, reflect the different shades of opinion in Parliament.

Of those that considered that there should be a minimum level of education, a significant number of them (67%) responded that the minimum qualification should be a university first degree.

The results are perhaps, an acknowledgment of the specialized job undertaken by MPs.

Under the Constitution, Ghana MPs have an important function in reviewing and debating legislation.

How many MPs are in Ghana?

PARLIAMENT OF GHANA
Seats	275
Political groups	Majority (138): NPP (137) Independent (1) Minority (137): NDC (137)

How many seats are in the parliament of Ghana 2020?

The 2020 Ghanaian general election was held on 7 December 2020 to elect Members of Parliament (MPs) to the 8th Parliament of the Fourth Republic. 

The Speaker is not an elected member of parliament though he/she is qualified to stand for election as such. There are a total of 275 constituencies in Ghana.