The Executive Director of the Africa Center for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Rasheed Draman, has called for a constitutional review to allow for even representation in Parliament.
His call comes on the back of earlier remarks made by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, who suggested the creation of quotas to represent strategic groups and minorities in Parliament.
In a Citi News interview, Dr. Rasheed Draman indicated that Ghana could emulate countries in East Africa to have Ghana’s Parliament more accurately reflect the population.
“Parliament, including our own, continues to be dominated by older men who are 45 years and above. If you come to our country, it’s only 13 per cent representation of women. As for the youth, people with disabilities, we have largely ignored them. So there’s really no inclusion. In the Ugandan parliament, they have reserved seats for young people, women, and disabled persons and even have seats for the military.”
“When you come to our side, everyone has to compete for their seat. Yet the cost of politics is making it so difficult, so we have a parliament that is almost exclusive to those who can afford it and those who have deep pockets,” the Executive Director of the Africa Center for Parliamentary Affairs said.
