The Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shuaib, has disclosed that financial hardship has made it difficult for him to regularly attend parliamentary sittings, claiming he sometimes cannot afford even basic transportation fare.
His revelation came during proceedings in Parliament, where the Speaker questioned his absence from pre-sitting meetings.
“Speaker, sometimes it’s a matter of lorry fare. Since this government came in, it’s been very difficult for me even to get money to board a lorry,” Hon. Shuaib responded.
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Chairing the session was the First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor, who acknowledged the MP’s concerns and assured him that measures were being taken to address such challenges, particularly through the provision of vehicle loans to members.
He said, “Hon. Jerry Ahmed, you have a very legitimate point. I understand they’ve started the deductions for the car loans, yet the Hon. Member is still facing transport difficulties.”
Adding to the discussion, the Deputy Majority Leader confirmed that the car loan scheme for MPs had already commenced and funds were being disbursed.
“Mr. Speaker, you are right. The deductions have started, and I believe the funds have been released. We were informed of the repayment schedule to cover the full amount,” he noted.
The Speaker assured Hon. Shuaib that his concerns were not misplaced and would be resolved in due time.
“So, Hon. Jerry Ahmed, very soon your concern will be addressed. It’s a legitimate concern, and I completely agree with you,” he said.
The Speaker also shared his own experience as a first-time parliamentarian, reflecting on the difficulties MPs once faced before office facilities and adequate logistical support became standard.
“Back then, if your car boot wasn’t big enough, you had a problem—because we operated from our car boots. We didn’t even have offices,” he recalled.