Parliament was gripped with emotions Wednesday as Members of Parliament (MPs) contemplated life after parliament with elections barely 32 days away.
The MPs who are on a GHC7,200 salary are worried about job opportunities when their parliamentary service comes to an end with Parliament set to rise for the last time in 2016.
Even before the December 7 parliamentary elections, 21 New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs are not coming back to parliament after losing their party primaries last June.
Notable among them are Dr Richard Anane, Hon Addai-Nimoh, Hon Isaac Osei, Hon Elizabeth Agyemang and Hon. Edward Anin. In all, six females and nineteen males lost their seats.
On the Majority caucus, more than 16 incumbent National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs suffered similar fate in the party’s primaries in November 2015.
More ‘political casualties’ are expected when voters go to the polls next month. In 24 hours the third meeting of the fourth session of the House will come to an end.
NDC MP for Central Tongu Constituency in the Volta Region, who will spend his last day in parliament Thursday acknowledged that finding a befitting job is a major concern.
He said economic uncertainty after parliament is a concerning cause of deaths among former MPs.
Joe Giddisu a trained teacher joined MPs to pay tribute to a former MP for Johor Jacob Ahikpo who died after completing two-terms in parliament.
The Central Tongu MP said the ‘speedy’ deaths of former MPs could be linked to a deterioration of living conditions.
Joe Giddisu explained that public perception about MP’s standard of living remains unchanged even after a parliamentarian exits. “He is still expected to be generous and meet the needs of disadvantaged persons in the community.
“There is a lot of pressure on you when you leave this wall,” the former Roads and Highways minister confessed.
His call for “some form of pension” for MPs was well received by Parliament, Joy News’s parliamentary correspondent Elton John Brobby reported.
“…there is something that we need to do about the welfare of people who have devoted themselves even sometimes at the peril of their lives”, he rallied parliament.
He asked the committee working on retirement package for Article 71 holders to be mindful of duties and the sacrifices of MPs.
A total of GH¢47 million has been paid by the government as ex gratia to the 230 Members of Parliament (MPs) who served in the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic between 2009 and 2013.
Out of the amount, the MPs who retained their membership of the House after the December 7, 2012 elections received GH¢276,000 each, while those who lost their seats were paid GH¢311,000 each.
More than 90 MPs who served that Parliament exited after the 2012 parliamentary elections.
With the current parliament set to end, a committee will be puting together another package for MPs many of whom have confessed are in huge debts after borrowing for their campaigns.
“We will all leave this chamber. We don’t know the fate that is going to fall any of us” Joe Giddisu said in urging the ex-gratia committee to take into consideration the stories of struggling former MPs.
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