MPs to blow GH₵41.2m monitoring GH₵55m projects

The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) has allocated a staggering GH₵96.2 million (GH₵96,250,000) to Members of Parliament (MPs).
Out of this amount, GH₵55 million is designated for the construction of education facilities in their constituencies, while an additional GH₵41.2 million is earmarked for monitoring these projects.
What this means in practical terms is that each MP will use GH₵200,000 to construct an education facility while inexplicably spending GH₵150,000 on monitoring the same project.
This allocation raises serious concerns about the duplication of duties and the wasteful use of scarce public resources.

Duplication of duties and wasteful spending
The allocation of funds for monitoring by MPs is particularly troubling because it duplicates the work of several government agencies that already receive funds for this purpose.
The GETFund itself, the Ministry of Education, and the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) all have dedicated monitoring units that oversee educational projects across Ghana.
These institutions already spend millions of cedis annually to ensure projects are executed properly.
Additionally, in the health sector, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) follows a similar pattern by making allocations for health project monitoring.
This raises a fundamental question: why should MPs, whose primary mandate is to make laws and hold the executive accountable, be allocated extra public funds to perform a function that is already well-covered by existing institutions?

Lawmakers or project executors?
MPs are elected to serve as lawmakers and representatives of the people.
Their primary responsibilities include drafting and passing laws, overseeing the Executive arm of government and representing their constituents’ interests in Parliament
However, their increasing involvement in project execution and monitoring blurs the lines between the responsibilities of the legislature and the executive.
This trend not only diverts attention from their legislative duties but also contributes to unnecessary spending of public funds, which could be better utilized in other pressing sectors such as healthcare, infrastructure, and job creation.

Misplaced priorities amid economic challenges
Ghana is currently facing serious economic challenges, with rising inflation, unemployment, and a struggling currency.
Public resources should be spent with utmost efficiency to provide relief to citizens.
In such difficult times, allocating GH₵41.2 million for MPs to monitor projects—when other government agencies already handle this—is indefensible.
It is even more concerning that the amount allocated for monitoring (GH₵150,000 per MP) is almost equal to the amount for actual construction (GH₵200,000 per MP).
This raises suspicions about misuse and possible mismanagement of funds, as there is no clear accountability mechanism to ensure these monitoring funds are properly utilized.

Call for accountability and proper use of funds
Ghanaians must demand transparency and accountability regarding the use of public funds.
The government and Parliament must reconsider this allocation and ensure that taxpayer money is spent prudently.
Instead of approving funds for MPs to perform roles already covered by multiple agencies.
The government should strengthen existing monitoring institutions to make them more effective, enforce strict oversight on how GETFund resources are allocated and used and ensure that MPs focus on their legislative duties instead of acting as project managers
The allocation of GH₵96.2 million from GETFund to MPs is a misuse of scarce public resources at a time when Ghana faces economic hardships.
With multiple government agencies already responsible for project monitoring, giving MPs extra funds for the same purpose is a wasteful duplication of duties.

If Ghana is to develop efficiently, public officials—including MPs—must prioritize fiscal discipline, accountability, and the judicious use of resources.
It is time for Parliament and the government to put an end to wasteful spending and redirect funds to areas that truly benefit the citizens.