Information and the Legislature: An Analysis of Institutional Context and Information Behaviour of Members of Ghana’s Parliament

Abstract

The study investigated the information behaviour of Members of Parliament (MPs) in the context of parliamentary institutional arrangements and how it shaped their access to and use of information as they made laws, oversaw executive action and represented the citizens of Ghana. The legislature compared to the executive, often has fewer technical experts and limited access to information creating an “information gap” between the two. There also exists information gaps among MPs since the legislature is composed of elected representatives with varied levels of expertise and experience. These can negatively impact on the ability of the legislature to perform its mandated roles, especially since the work of legislators revolves around information. Against this background, the objectives of this study were to examine Ghanaian legislators’ information needs and information seeking behaviour, and analyse how institutional arrangements in the Parliament of Ghana affect members’ access to and use of information. In furtherance of these objectives, the study used a multiphase mixed-methods research design. Data from questionnaires, interviews and a database on information about bills presented to parliament were analysed. The main findings were that MPs’ frequency of need for information for performing financial control related roles was higher compared to that for oversight functions; and that leadership of the Parliament of Ghana strategically use information control tactic of shortening the layover time for executive/leadership priority Bills. However, leadership was less able to use such strategies when there was high public interest in bills. The study has demonstrated that in spite of progress made by Ghana’s Parliament in the Fourth Republic, the delegated power of citizens to government, especially to Members of Parliament, is not optimally exercised. The Parliament of Ghana needs to assert its independence especially in scheduling its workload and by improving access to information by its members.