Anti-corruption group, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) is asking President John Mahama to stop appointing Members of Parliament on Boards of Public Institutions.
The group says the act is unethical and compromises the position of MPs who are supposed to have oversight responsibilities over Boards of Public Institutions.
It is the practice for MPs to be appointed by Presidents to sit on Boards so they could earn extra income outside Parliamentary duties.
But GII in a statement said the practice is wrong and should be stopped.
The group says when MPs are appointed onto Boards, they tend to see themselves as accountable to the appointing authority – the executive – a situation it says undermines the principle of separation of powers.
The practice the GII maintained, breeds suspicions between the politicians and the technocrats on the same board.
The statement further posited that appointments onto boards must strictly be based on merit and competence.
In a reaction, Members of Parliament said the GII’s position was fundamentally flawed.
MP for Korle Clottey and Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Nii Armah Ashitey said once a Member of Parliament is qualified to be appointed as Minister of State, it was proper that MPs are appointed onto Boards of State institutions.
He said MPs when appointed onto Boards will ensure the necessary checks and balances within the state institutions.
He encouraged the president to appoint more MPs onto Boards of State Institutions.