Honorary Vice President IMANI Ghana, Bright Simons, has raised pertinent questions regarding the proposed one million-dollar, one constituency scheme by the incoming New Patriotic Party government.
The NPP in August promised to provide each of the 275 constituencies in the country with a million-dollar each year to enable them deal with problems that are specific to them.
It explained this pro-poor intervention would form part of the party’s Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Project (IPEP).
Ahead of the party’s taking over of the reign of governance, Mr Simons said the proposal has now moved from being hypothetical and raised some questions as to how it would be administered, suggesting several options for the incoming government to consider.
In a Facebook post, Mr Simons wondered whether the offices of the Members of Parliament, which are the only administrative structures at the constituencies, would be the one to manage the one million dollar per constituency fund.
Mr Simons is also questioning why each constituency should be given the same amount whereas the population the constituencies and their needs differ.
“Why give each constituency $1 million when needs and populations vary so much?,” he asked
Read his full analysis
1. The only administrative structures at constituency level are the MP offices. Will MPs be responsible for managing this new fund? Then why not scrap districts and make the idea of electing DCEs redundant as MPs are elected? Then the resources available to DCEs can be handed over to the MP offices to manage. What is the point of creating a parallel administrative structure at constituency level?
2. Currently, each district receives on average $1.8 million.
If the money sent to the districts were instead sent to constituencies, each one would receive roughly $1.4 million.The OMC scheme would thus imply a 70% increase in the funds allocated to local governments. This looks amazing until one realises that currently only 40% of the funds allocated to the local government entities actually get to them, due to high bureaucratic costs at the level of the funds’ managers in Accra. Instead of a 70% increase in payments out of the national treasury, why not simply reform the local government financing arrangement to cut down on the 60% overhead?
3. Why give each constituency $1 million when needs and populations vary so much? 6 out of every 10 people in the North falls within the lowest fifth of the country’s wealth structure, whilst in Accra the corresponding figure is less than 2 out of 10 people. Whilst there are about 320,000 people in Asawase and 530,000 people in Weija/Ga-South, there are less than 60,000 people in Dormaa East, Sissala West, and Lambussie Karni. Why should these districts all get the same amount?
Source: 3news
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Bright simons does the government pay the MPs according to the population of their constituencies?
That money is going to serve same purpose as that allocated to Districts. It is part of the money for the Districts that would be given to the Constituencies. It is not going into private pockets, and more importantly, it is accountable. So, MPs, will have a bigger purse to executive projects in their constituencies.
Believe you me, NPP has a blueprint on this policy. If you can't wait for Nana to be ushered into office, I'd rather advise you to contact NPP office. You can't convince me that NPP does not know that the Constituency Offices are the MPs Offices at present.
I perfectly agree with the writer. what is know is that, is the dirtict assembleys that have account and administrative structures to received fund and implement governmnet programmes but now that the npp says constituencies who will reveive the money on the constituency behalve? is it going to be the npp constituecy chairperson or what? i dont see this to be feasible.
Please based on your analysis you mention of poverty level and i can tell you that there districts you cited as example are answers to your concerns. Whilst population in the districts in northern region are smaller as compared to that of the southern part, the people there are also the poorest so consider that as well.
pls why are rushing just be patients and see how he will do it. He will never disappoint you ok!
Bright Simons!! An epitome of "Crabology" Give our old man space to breath and think. It's too early to do propaganda. He said, he will do it. Whether from his own pocket or not, is it your concern? Do you know the huge road tolls collected over the years is sitting in Lourdina Mahama's account? This is what talkatives like you should concern yourself with.
MR Bright was asking questions which need to be assessed by brain storm not what some people are objecting without basic economic analysis and critical thinking.
MR. SIMON. I THINK YOU SHOULD RATHER BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND!! Q.1. WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE NPP THREW UP THESE PHANTOM POLICIES? HOW COME YOU DID NOT RAISE THESE ISSUES TO INFORM THE ELECTORATE AND ONLY RAISE YOUR VOICE WHEN THE DEAL IS ALREADY SEALED? Q.2. DIDN'T YOU, IMANI IN A SUBTLE WAY CAMPAIGNED MASSIVELY FOR THE NPP? WHY DIDN'T YOU ADVICE THEM OR SEEK ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS? Q.3. WHERE DO YOU (IMANI) GET YOUR MONEY FROM TO RUN YOUR ORGANIZATION? WHY DO YOU ALWAYS WANT TO FORCE THE VIEWS OF YOUR EUROPEAN FINANCIERS DOWN OUR THROATS. ? Q.4. THE NPP LIED THEIR WAY INTO POWER. MOST OF THEIR PROMISES ARE AT BEST PHANTOM AND OVERLY AUDACIOUS AND YOU BRIGHT AND IMANI YOU KNEW IT YET YOU HELPED THEM BIG TIME. WHY ARE YOU NOW TRYING TO SEEK ATTENTION AS IF YOU WERE A NEUTRAL ORGANIZATION?
Pls make sense small way. Whether NDC remains in opposition for good depends largely on NPP