“Worst Performing MPs” rubbish Africa Watch Magazine ratings

Minority Leader Osei-Kyei Mensah-Bonsu scored an "A"

The survey of the performance of Ghanaian politicians conducted by the Africa Watch Magazine has infuriated some Members of Parliament rated among the worst performing politicians in Ghana.

Some of the MPs who have vehemently indicated their disagreement with the survey ratings have questioned the criteria used by the media watch organisation.

Agona East MP, John Agyabeng who could not hide his anger discredited the ratings, explaining that the assessment could not be a true representation of reality.

According to him, he has contributed immensely to both activities of the national assembly and in his constituency and therefore does not understand why anybody will evaluate his work and conclude that he has not performed any creditably.

The MP made these remarks in an interview with Adakabre Frimpong Manso on Adom Dwaso Nsem on Tuesday.

“Most of parliamentary work is done at the committee level, which is not open to the public so how can people who are not privy to what go on at the committee meetings rate us” he wondered.

On his part the Trobu Amasaman MP, Atokwei Armah gave a chronology of projects and activities he has executed to show that he cannot be a poor performing Member of Parliament.

When quizzed on the correlation between performance at the constituency level and that of parliament, the MP explained that, the approval of any MP by his people is based on what the MP does both at the constituency level and in parliament, and in both situations he believed he has performed well to support the work of parliament.

He strongly condemned the survey for not doing a thorough job that will truly represent the work of the legislature, and consequently urged all to treat the ratings “with the contempt it deserves”.

The Africa Watch Magazine survey on the performance of Ghanaian Politicians rated performance of the Minority Leader as exceptional. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu scored an A, higher than that of the Speaker of Parliament, Joyce Bamford Addo who scored a B+.

The survey was an assessment by a sample of Ghanaian professionals of different political persuasions and awarded marks ranging from A - F (“A” being exceptional and “F” - failed).

The professionals were grouped into three; the first group was to assess the president while the second group assessed the ministers of state based on, among other things, their policy understanding and articulations, human relations and ethics with the third group assessing the performance of the Members of Parliament.

Works and Housing Minister Alban Bagbin was rated C but was graded A- as former Majority Leader. Edward Doe Adjaho, Deputy Speaker of Parliament also scored an A-.

Moses Asaga MP for Nabdam was rated B+, with the current majority leader Cletus Avoka graded B+.

Hon Timothy Attaboadey MP for Builsa North was deemed to have failed with a complete F. Manhyia MP, Mathew Opoku Prempeh scored a B+ whilst the deputy Majority Leader Rashid Pelpuo scored a B. Sheik IC Quaye also scored a D. The MPs among other things were graded based on their knowledge on law-making as well as their contribution to debates on the floor of Parliament.

Meanwhile the Dean of the Parliamentary Press Corps, Edwin Arthur has distanced the group from the said survey. He said the group has not been contacted to carry out any survey or administered questionnaires to that effect.

He said the leadership of the parliamentary press corps will conduct an investigation to find out if any individual members of the group took part in the survey.

Mr. Arthur acknowledged that the survey can strain the hitherto cordial relationship between the MPs and the press corps – a situation they want to prevent.

Story by Sammy Yirenkyi/Adom FM/Ghana