MPs Must Be Accessible Locally Through Constituency Offices — Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim

The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has called for the establishment of constituency offices for all Members of Parliament, describing it as essential to strengthening Ghana’s decentralisation agenda.

He made the call at the Kasoa Traditional Leaders and Stakeholders Forum, where discussions focused on development challenges within the municipality and ways to improve governance at the local level.

According to him, while the executive and judiciary are adequately represented at the district level through Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives and district courts, Parliament lacks a visible presence in many constituencies.

Mr. Ibrahim argued that the absence of dedicated offices makes it difficult for constituents to access their lawmakers, especially when they want to contribute to lawmaking or raise concerns.

He questioned how citizens can effectively engage their MPs if there is no permanent office within the constituency to facilitate interaction.

The Minister explained that establishing constituency offices would help decentralise parliamentary work, improve accessibility, and enhance citizen participation in governance.

He added that bringing Parliament closer to the people would also make lawmakers more responsive to the needs and concerns of their constituents, thereby strengthening Ghana’s decentralised governance structure.