Resumen de MPs use of the district assembly common fund in Ghana; ‘Perception meets practice'

Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, Joseph Antwi Boasiako, Iddrisu Abdul-Rashid

• Parliaments generally perform functions including oversight, legislation, andrepresentation. In many developing countries, the representation functionportrays Members of Parliament (MPs) as Developmental agents in theircommunities. One of the main sources of funds for MPs in Ghana has beenthe District Assemblies Common Fund. The Constitution of Ghana hascreated the District Assemblies Common Fund to transfer financial resourcesfrom the central government to local governments. Out of this has been thecreation of the MPs share of the District Assemblies Common Fund. Theallocation is made to help MPs directly address developmental challenges intheir districts. This study attempts to assess the MPs Common Fund fromboth citizens’ as well as MPs perspectives. This is what we term ‘perceptionmeeting practice’.