Parliament of Ghana

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}); </script> <div class="searchcontainer gonemain"> <input type="text" onkeypress="Javascript: if (event.keyCode===13) search_find(this.value);" required id="searchbox" placeholder="Search..."/> <div class="search"></div> </div>  <hr class="hr hd gone"/> <div id="page"> <div id="content"><script>document.title="Mandate of Parliament";</script><h3>MANDATE OF PARLIAMENT</h3> <p> <span style="font-size: small;">It is well known that Parliament’s basic function is law making. However, a number of functions are incidental to the performance of this function. Among others, the following can be clearly identified as functions performed by the Parliament of Ghana:</span><span style="font-size: small;">Legislative;</span></p> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li style="list-style-type: none;"><br /> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Financial</span></li> </ul> </ul> <br /> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oversight of the executive</span></li> </ul> </ul> <br /> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Representational</span></li> </ul> </ul> <br /> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Deliberative</span></li> </ul> </ul> </li> </ul> </ul> <p><strong style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;">LEGISLATIVE</strong><span style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;"> </span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Law-making is considered to be the most important function of Parliament. Under article 93(2) of the Constitution the legislative power of Ghana is vested in Parliament and is exercised in accordance with the Constitution. No person or body other than Parliament has the power to pass any measure with the force of law except by or under the authority conferred by an Act of Parliament. The legislative function consists of passing Bills and scrutinizing statutory instruments and deciding whether to annul them or allow them to take effect by the effluxion of time.</span></p> <p> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="paragraph_header"><strong>FINANCIAL CONTROL (POWER OF THE PURSE)</strong></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"> Chapter Thirteen of the 1992 Constitution variously, vests the control of all public funds (power of the public purse) in Parliament. In specific terms this means:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify; list-style-type: square;"> <ul style="text-align: justify; list-style-type: square;"> <li style="list-style-type: none;"><br /> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li><span style="font-size: small;">No tax can be imposed without the authority of Parliament (art. 174)</span></li> </ul> </ul> <br /> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li><span style="font-size: small;">Apart from moneys charged directly on the Consolidated Fund by the Constitution, no moneys can be withdrawn from the Fund without the authority of Parliament (art. 178)</span></li> </ul> </ul> <br /> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li><span style="font-size: small;">Parliament has the power and duty to monitor the expenditure of public funds to ensure that the monies it has authorised are used for the purposes for which they are intended by taking appropriate action on the Auditor-General’s Reports.</span></li> </ul> </ul> <br /><br /></li> </ul> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">In addition to these, Parliament’s financial powers cover:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify; list-style-type: square;"> <ul style="text-align: justify; list-style-type: square;"> <li style="list-style-type: none;"><br /> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li><span style="font-size: small;">Authorising the granting or receiving of loans (cf. article 181)</span></li> </ul> </ul> <br /> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li><span style="font-size: small;">Monitoring the country’s foreign exchange receipts and payments or transfers (article 184)</span></li> </ul> </ul> <br /> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li><span style="font-size: small;">Authorising the waiver/exemption or variation of taxes (article 174)</span></li> </ul> </ul> <br /> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li><span style="font-size: small;">Appointing an auditor to audit and report on the accounts of the Auditor-General’s office (article 187[15]).</span></li> </ul> </ul> <br /><br /></li> </ul> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">In effect, the Executive is free to propose various expenditure levels and how revenue should be raised to meet them. Parliament is, however, empowered to control the expenditure of public funds.</span></p> <p> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span class="paragraph_header">OVERSIGHT OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH</span></strong></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"> As the embodiment of the sovereign will of the people of Ghana, Parliament exercises oversight of the Executive. Parliament keeps a watch over the performance of the Executive, which controls the public services, to ensure that the implementation of public policy conforms to the approved developmental agenda of the state and expenditure incurred is in accordance with parliamentary authorisations.</span></p> <p> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Parliament exercises this function by way of scrutiny of policy measures and executive conduct through its Committees, Questions to Ministers, Motions, and Censorship of Ministers among others.</span></p> <p> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Parliament also exercises this power through the approval or otherwise of Presidential nominees for appointment as Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Chief Justice and other Justices of the Supreme Court, Members of the Council of State and other public offices specified by law.</span></p> <p> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="paragraph_header"><strong>REPRESENTATIONAL FORUM</strong></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"> Parliament is the supreme forum for the ventilation of grievances aimed at seeking redress. The MP is the communication link between his constituents and Government. Through parliamentary mechanisms/tools such as Question Time, Statements, Motions, debate on policy/bills, among others, an MP has the opportunity to draw attention to developments in his constituency and explore avenues for socio-economic development of the constituency.</span></p> <p> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="paragraph_header"><strong>DELIBERATIVE FUNCTION</strong></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"> In the execution of its functions, the House undertakes deliberations through debate on matters before it. More specifically, however, the deliberative function of Parliament enables it to debate an array of policy issues some of which result in the passage of resolutions. Deliberations may throw light on underlying tensions in society and help to foster consensus, compromise and reconciliation. The deliberative function is exercised mainly through the mechanism of Statements, Motions, Questions, and Ceremonial Speeches etc.</span></p></div> <div id="sidebar"> <div class="box"><a href="history">History of Parliament</a><br/><hr class="hr5"/><br/> <a href="composition">Composition of Parliament</a><br/><hr class="hr5"/><br/> <a href="committees">Committees of Parliament</a><br/><hr class="hr5"/><br/> <a href="ps">Parliamentary Service</a><br/><hr class="hr5"/><br/> <a href="gallery">Photo Gallery</a><br/><hr class="hr5"/><br/> <br/><br/><hr class="hr"/> <div> <h5>WAYS TO CONNECT</h5><br/>  <hr class="hr5"/><br/> <div id="fb-root"></div> <div class="fb-like" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/Parliament-of-Ghana-391067984666588/" data-width="300" data-layout="standard" data-action="like" data-size="large" data-show-faces="true" data-share="true"></div> <br/><br/><hr class="hr5"/><br/> <a class="twitter-follow-button" data-size="large" data-show-count="true" href="https://twitter.com/parliament_gh"> Follow @Parliament of Ghana</a> <br/>  <br/><hr class="hr"/><br/> </div> <div class=""> <h3>Did you know?</h3><p class="font1"> The Majority Leader represents the party with the largest number of seats in the House. </p> </div> </div> </div><br class="clearfix" /> </div> <hr class="hr2" /> <div id="page-bottom"> <div id="page-bottom-content"> <div class="wrap clearfix"> <div class="col-1 fl"> <h5>RELATED LINKS</h5> <ul> <li class="last"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.parliament.gh/sp/">Student Parliament</a><br/></li> <li ><a target="_blank" href="http://www.cpahq.org/">Commonwealth Parliamentary Association - CPA</a><br/></li> <li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.au.int/">African Union</a><br/></li> <li class="last"><a target="_blank" href="www.ghana.gov.gh/">Government of Ghana</a><br/></li> </ul> </div> <div class="col-1 fl push-2"><h5> </h5> <ul>  <li class="last"><a target="_blank" href="https://judicial.gov.gh/">The Judicial Service of Ghana</a><br/></li> <li class="last"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.ecowas.int/">The Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS)</a><br/></li> <li class="last"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.ipu.org">Inter-Parliamentary Union-IPU</a><br/></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page-bottom-sidebar"> <div id="copyright"> <p>Copyright © 2022 Parliament of Ghana.<br/> All rights reserved. </p> <a href="disclaimer" style="text-decoration: underline">Disclaimer</a>  |  <a href="privacy" style="text-decoration: underline">Privacy Policy</a> <div style="float:right"><hr class="hr"/><br/> <div class="smallcircle"><br/> <center> <a href="#page" style="font-size:18px" title="Go to the top" class="icon icon-arrow-up"></a></center> </div> </div> <div style=""><br><br><br><img src="/images/parliament512x512.png" style="width:50px"/> <br><div> <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.touchnetgh.pmw&hl=en&gl=US" ><img style="width:100px;height:45px;margin:-8px" src="/images/android_badge.png"/></a>  <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/parliamentary-watch/id1578774571"><img style="width:100px;height:30px;" src="/images/apple_download.png"/></a></div> </div> </div> </div> <br class="clearfix" /> </div> </div> <br class="gone" /> </body> </html>

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