The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has backed a proposal to restrict sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) from serving on public boards and procurement bodies of publicly funded institutions.
The party says the proposed constitutional restriction would strengthen Parliament’s independence, minimise potential conflicts of interest and improve public confidence in the legislature.
The position was announced by the Member of Parliament for Gushegu, Sulemana Tampuli Alhassan, at a press conference on Thursday, September 17, 2026, as the NPP presented its position on the Constitutional Review Committee’s (CRC) proposed reforms.
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According to Mr Tampuli, the NPP supports the CRC’s recommendation for stronger constitutional safeguards against conflicts of interest involving public officials.
He said the proposal to prevent MPs from serving on public boards and procurement bodies of publicly funded entities would provide a stronger safeguard than relying solely on legislation or administrative measures.
“The CRC recommended stronger constitutional conflict of interest restrictions and that Members of Parliament should not be serving on public boards and procurement bodies of publicly funded entities,” he said.
Mr Tampuli said the government had taken a different approach by rejecting the need for constitutional amendments on the matter and instead relying on proposed legislation covering a code of conduct for public officers.
The NPP, however, believes the restriction should be entrenched in the Constitution.
“We think that the recommendation of the CRC is very good. The constitutional guardrails will be better served if we don’t have Members of Parliament serving on various boards,” Mr Tampuli said.
He argued that constitutional safeguards would provide a more enduring framework for preventing situations where MPs could find themselves in positions that create actual or perceived conflicts between their legislative responsibilities and board or procurement duties.
The party said preventing sitting MPs from serving on public boards would also help protect the independence and integrity of Parliament.
Mr Tampuli said the reform could strengthen Parliament’s oversight role while helping to safeguard public resources.
“We believe that the reform would strengthen the integrity and independence of Parliament. It will help safeguard public resources and reinforce public confidence in Parliament,” he stated.
The NPP’s position forms part of its broader response to the CRC’s proposals for amendments to Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The party has taken different positions on various recommendations, including rejecting the proposed extension of the presidential term from four years to five years while supporting a reduction in the minimum age for presidential candidates from 40 to 30.
The NPP has also called for a Constituent or Consultative Assembly to allow political parties and other stakeholders to deliberate more broadly on the proposed constitutional changes before they are taken through the amendment process.
The proposal concerning MPs and public boards is therefore part of a wider debate over how Ghana’s constitutional framework should address conflicts of interest, institutional independence and accountability in public office.