The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, is hurt by the squalor and deprivation some former Members of Parliament.
He said the perception of Ghanaians that former MPs get a lot of goodies after serving in Parliament live lavishly is a mirage.
Speaking at the Africa evidence week program in parliament, Alban Bagbin who doubles as the MP for Nadowli-Kaleo constituency said “All the noise that people have been making that MPs are enjoying, we should be seeing that if they were really enjoying, after the House, how many MPs do you see still looking opulent, a lot of them are in the trotros with you but you don’t know them.
“As the longest-serving MP here, I have been called upon on weekly to go for funerals of former members of Parliament who are dead because they could not go out their house to buy prescription drugs.”
READ MORE: Rawlings punches Bagbin over ‘blind man, stammerer’ comments
Bagbin exit parliament
Alban Bagbin decided to quit Parliament after his current term expires in January 2021.
The 62-year-old had not picked nomination forms to contest the Nadowli-Kaleo parliamentary seat.
Bagbin has been occupying the Nadowli-Kaleo parliamentary seat since 1992.
Known in the local parlance as “Nadowli Mugabe”, Bagbin’s exit will pave way for a new candidate for the first time in 28 years.
Pension Scheme for retired MPs
The Speaker of Parliament Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye in May 2019, directed the House Committee to take immediate steps in setting up a Pension Scheme for Members of Parliament.
The Committee is expected to work hand-in-hand with the Majority and Minority Chief Whips of the House to ensure that the proposed Pension Scheme becomes a reality.
It is also expected to examine other welfare matters to take care of former MPs and those who go retirement after their tenure of service.
READ ALSO: NDC flagbearer aspirants ‘cry’ over hefty GHc400,000 filing fee
“Hon. Members, it is important for us to seriously consider matters relating to former Members of the House. We all know that the lives of many former Members are not as we would like to see. In fact, it pains me personally to see how we look like after we have served and people think these are people who are making money in this country. It is painful,” the Speaker noted.
The move will complement an insurance package the House is working on with the State Insurance Company (SIC) for its Members.
