In the lead-up to the 2024 elections, differing approaches to empowering assembly members have emerged, with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) proposing a budget-based system rather than direct allowances, according to former Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, speaking on the matter detailed the NPP’s stance: “Going into the 2024 elections, the NPP and NDC came up with different propositions on this issue. The NPP’s position is that we recognize the need for financing at the grassroots level to ensure assembly members can effectively carry out their duties. However, we believe that providing a budget for assembly members to work with is more impactful than a simple allowance.”
He further elaborated on the party’s rationale, posing a question: “If you’re an assembly member, what is more important to you: your own allowance or a budget to be able to work in your electoral area?”
According to Nkrumah, the NPP’s proposal involves allocating a share of the common fund directly to the assembly member’s electoral area. “We said we’ll give assembly members an electoral area share of the common fund so that if streetlights are not working, you have a budget to resolve this,” he explained.
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah contrasted this with the National Democratic Congress (NDC)‘s approach: “The NDC said they prefer to give the assembly member an allowance. However, if you give an assembly member an allowance and they don’t have a budget to work with in the assembly or at the electoral area, then it means you haven’t really empowered them.”
He emphasized that the NPP’s budget-focused strategy aims to provide assembly members with the necessary resources to address local issues directly. “Our approach is about giving them the tools to make a tangible difference in their communities,” Nkrumah added.
During the presentation of the 2025 Budget Statement in Parliament on Tuesday, March 11, Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson announced that the government had allocated GH¢100 million for the payment of monthly allowances to Assembly Members across the country.
This initiative aims to support local governance and enhance the effectiveness of Assembly Members in carrying out their responsibilities.
