The Committee System of the Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana, 2009-2020: An Assessment

Abstract

The committee system of parliament has been critical to the functioning of the legislature in jurisdictions in Africa and other parts of the world. This study examined the committee system of the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Parliaments of Ghana’s Fourth Republic to determine its functionality and how it promoted the legislative, deliberative, oversight and financial functions of the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Parliaments of Ghana in the Fourth Republic. Using the Finance Committee (FC), the Appointments Committee (AC), the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Energy and Mines Committee (EMC), and the Health Committee (HC), the study examined the work of the committee system, its decision-making modalities, challenges, and the role of the committee system in the execution of parliamentary business. Furthermore, the study conducted a comparative study of selected committees for case study of the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Parliaments of Ghana’s Fourth Republic. Using the qualitative method, the study primarily used document study and interviews to gather primary and secondary data for analysis. A sample size of forty (40) participants was used for the collection of field data. Participants – made up of Members of Parliament (MPs) of the Eighth Parliament of Ghana’s Fourth Republic, clerks of Parliament, past ministers who doubled as MPs – were interviewed over a broad layer of issues on parliamentary affairs and the committee system of parliament. Based on thorough analysis of field and textual data, the study found that the committee system was vital to the execution of legislative, deliberative, financial and oversight functions of the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Parliaments of Ghana’s Fourth Republic. It also found that the committee system is handicapped by two challenges – inadequate financial resources and executive control of parliament. Furthermore, the study found that clientelism and politics underpinned the work of the committee system of Ghana’s fifth, sixth and seventh Parliaments. The study recommended that efforts should be made by the leadership of parliament and interested bodies or parties to consolidate the gains of the committee system in Ghana’s Parliament.