The Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shuaib, has revealed he is ‘struggling financially and sometimes cannot afford lorry fare’ to attend parliamentary sittings.
Responding to a query from the Speaker about his absence from pre-sitting sessions, the MP said:
“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 have a lorry.”
The First Deputy Speaker, who chaired the session, expressed sympathy for the MP’s predicament but assured him that support was on the way in the form of a vehicle loan.
“Hon. Jerry Ahmed, you have a very legitimate point… I do not know, but they have started the deductions for the car loans, and the Hon. Member is still complaining about transport.”
The Deputy Majority Leader confirmed that the vehicle loan scheme for MPs was already in effect.
“Mr. Speaker, you are right. The deductions have already started. I believe the money is also in. We were told precisely how long the deductions would take to cover the full amount.”
The Speaker assured Mr. Shuaib that his concern was valid and would soon be resolved. “So, Hon. Jerry Ahmed, very soon your concern will be addressed. It’s a legitimate concern. I agree perfectly with you.”
The Speaker also shared his own experience as a first-time MP, recalling the logistical challenges legislators faced in the past.
“Particularly in those days, if your car boot was not big, because we were operating from our car boots, We didn’t even have offices at that time,” he disclosed.
