A retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice William Atuguba, has questioned the benefits Ghana has derived from increasing the number of Members of Parliament to 276.
According to the former Supreme Court judge, the country must critically assess whether the expansion of Parliament has delivered meaningful value to citizens, given the significant growth in the number of parliamentary seats over the years.
Justice Atuguba made the remarks on Thursday, July 16, while delivering a speech at the D.F. Annan Memorial Lecture held in Parliament.
He expressed concern over the rationale behind Ghana’s growing parliamentary representation, arguing that the focus should be on the impact of the increase rather than simply expanding the number of legislators.
“In fact, I don’t know why a small country like Ghana, the number was 100 or so all up to 276, for what reason and purpose?” he questioned.
The retired judge also referenced concerns previously raised by former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who has argued against the creation of additional parliamentary constituencies.
“I also want to acknowledge the likes of Kyei-Mensah Bonsu who said it is not necessary to create more parliamentary seats,” Justice Atuguba said.
He stressed the need for a conversation around the usefulness of a larger Parliament and whether the expansion has translated into tangible benefits for ordinary Ghanaians.
“What is the true benefit to the people from this kind of thing?” he asked.
Ghana’s Parliament currently has 276 members following years of constituency creation, with debates continuing over the cost, effectiveness and representation value of increasing the size of the legislature.
