Parliament has approved GH¢1.619 billion to fund the operations of the House and the Parliamentary Service for the 2026 financial year.
The allocation will fund Parliament’s operations, including salaries and allowances for MPs and staff, goods and services for daily administration, committee and oversight activities, ICT and e-Parliament upgrades, and maintenance of facilities.
It will also support research, documentation, constituency work, and all logistical needs for effective legislative functioning.
However, Members of Parliament (MPs) insist the amount falls far below what was required to keep the legislative arm functioning effectively.
During the debate on the committee’s report last Wednesday, MPs from both sides enumerated long-standing operational constraints, including the absence of constituency offices, poor facilities in Job 600, and lack of essential tools to support oversight work.
Observation
In moving the motion, the leadership of the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs underscored that Parliament’s 2026 allocation remained grossly inadequate and failed to reflect the institution’s operational needs.
They emphasised that the over GH¢4.6 billion proposal submitted by Parliament was slashed to GH¢1.619 billion, a cut they said undermined essential projects, including constituency consultancy offices and improvements to deteriorating facilities such as elevators and washrooms.
The leadership stressed that the persistent underfunding of Parliament hampers its efficiency and urged the Finance Ministry to consider a dedicated revenue stream or enhanced mid-year allocation to ensure Parliament can function effectively and independently.
Minority
New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, argued that Parliament deserved a guaranteed percentage of national revenue, similar to other priority sectors such as GETFund and the National Health Insurance Fund.
He said Parliament’s allocations are consistently inadequate despite its crucial oversight role. He stressed the need for proper constituency offices and staff so MPs can serve citizens professionally rather than meeting constituents in informal locations.
NPP MP for Walewale, Dr Abdul Kabiru Tiah Mahama, further argued that Parliament operated “at the mercy of the Executive,” receiving only about 40 per cent of what it requests, which severely constrains its ability to function effectively.
“Both the Minister and his deputy are members of this House. They witness firsthand what MPs go through,” he lamented.
He also raised accessibility concerns, stressing that the current parliamentary building is not disability-friendly.
Majority
National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, cautioned that Parliament’s resourcing challenges cannot be fixed in a single year because past governments failed to improve allocations incrementally.
He also argued that those who borrowed heavily in the past still failed to fund Parliament adequately.
He urged patience and steady improvement over time, expressing confidence that the current Finance Minister—being a former MP—will continue increasing allocations.
The Deputy Minister of Finance and NDC MP for Asuogyaman, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, argued the allocation was done equitably based on resources available to the government.
He urged MPs to be contextual, adding that all ministries requested large sums, but the government had limited resources.
He said the reduction of Parliament’s GH?4.6 billion request was consistent with cuts across all MDAs, including the Executive and Judiciary.
He emphasised that Parliament had actually received the highest percentage increase—over 45 per cent from 2025 to 2026.
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