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CDD Executive Director Professor Henry Kwesi Prempeh expressed concern over Parliament’s decision to approve the payment of first and second ladies’ salaries.
The approval by Parliament formalized the payment of remuneration to the spouses of the President and Vice-President who have so far been placed on allowances.
The recommendation was made by a five-member committee that was set up in June 2019 by President Akufo-Addo to make recommendations to him and to Parliament on the salaries and allowances payable, as well as on the facilities. and privileges available to Article 71 office holders.
Commenting on the evolution of the situation, the head of the CDD declared: “The Constitution neither requires nor obliges a president or a vice-president to have a spouse; singles and singles are welcome.
“If the government wants to pay the first and / or second spouse out of public revenue, it must present a bill to this effect. The clear scope of Articles 108 and 178 of the Constitution is that Parliament cannot, on its own initiative, initiate or approve the payment of such emoluments (which would necessarily be paid out of public funds) without a bill to that effect emanating from de and introduced by the government and duly adopted.
“Politicians cannot use the Article 71 process to smuggle wages or allowances for first and second spouses.”
The committee also recommended an increase in the salaries of section 71 office holders.
Below are the details of Professor Kwesi Prempeh’s statement
The mandate of an Article 71 Emoluments Committee is limited to recommending the salaries and other benefits and privileges of office holders specified in Article 71, paragraphs (1) and (2).
This list of office holders is exhaustive.
The Article 71 Emoluments Committee does not have the power to recommend the payment of an allowance or an emolument to the first or second spouse, since these are not offices or office holders. section 71.
And, of course, the Constitution neither requires nor obliges a president or vice president to have a spouse; singles and singles are welcome.
If the government wants to pay the first and / or second spouse out of public revenue, it must present a bill to this effect.
The clear scope of Articles 108 and 178 of the Constitution is that Parliament cannot, on its own initiative, initiate or approve the payment of such emoluments (which would necessarily be paid from public funds) without a bill to that effect emanating from de and introduced by the government and duly adopted.
Politicians cannot use the Section 71 process to smuggle wages or allowances for first and second spouses.
If that is what they want, they must get the government to introduce a bill to this effect, and thus allow and ensure public participation in the legislative debate on this issue.
Anyway, why stop at the first and second spouses?
Why not the third spouse (since the president can sometimes act as president) or the fourth (so the chief justice can also take advantage of certain marital privileges at the expense of the taxpayers), and so on.
And while we are at it, should we also subject the first and second spouses to the law on the declaration of assets?
Indeed, when we place the first and second spouses on the public payroll, we essentially convert their roles into “public functions” within the meaning of section 295.
Is that the idea?
— starrfm
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