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Former President John Dramani Mahama called on the government to consider establishing an independent committee to review the emoluments of section 71 office holders.
His appeal comes amid controversy surrounding a recommendation by the five-member emoluments committee to include the wives of the president, Nana Akufo-Addo, and vice-president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, in the incumbent’s salary structure. charge of article 71..
Mahama believes that an independent emoluments commission will end the practice of creating new committees every four years and introducing various recommendations.
“I believe that instead of trying to unconstitutionally broaden the scope of Article 71 office holders for the purposes of determining emoluments, the government urgently needs to establish the Independent Commission. emoluments. ”
“If this independent emoluments committee is established, the Commission will not only end the practice of setting up a new emoluments committee every four years and make various recommendations, but it will ensure that the salary administration in the Ghana is rationalized and equity is established. in the system, ”Mr. Mahama said.
Recommended fees
The emoluments of the first and second ladies were part of the recommendations of Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu, composed of five members, created in June 2019 by President Nana Akufo-Addo to make recommendations on the salaries and other gratuities of the office holders of the office. section 71.
According to the recommended emoluments, the President’s spouse should be entitled to payment of a salary equivalent to that of a Cabinet Member while in office.
After leaving office, they will be entitled to a salary equivalent to 80% of the salary of a minister of state-deputy if the spouse has served a full term as president or to 100% of the salary of a minister of state. State-deputy if the spouse served two or more full terms as president.
For the vice-president’s spouse, they will be entitled to payment of a salary equivalent to that of a non-deputy minister when in office.
After leaving office, the spouse of the vice-president will be entitled to a salary equivalent to 80 per cent of the salary of a non-deputy minister of state if the spouse has served a full term as vice-president or to 100 percent of the salary of a non-deputy Minister of State if the spouse has served at least two full terms as vice-president.
Sneaking the 1st and 2nd Ladies under Section 71 of problematic office holders
The former president also criticized the government’s management of emoluments for the spouses of current presidents and vice-presidents.
In a statement, Mahama suggested that the Akufo-Addo government was trying to “fit the first and second ladies into the section 71 office-holders group”, saying “this is clearly problematic” .
Mr. Mahama further argued that the new fees amounted to changing a clause enshrined in the constitution without due process.
“Article 71 is a clause enshrined in the Constitution of 1992, and nothing less than a referendum can be used to amend or modify this clause in accordance with article 290 of the Constitution”, he explained. .
“The Committee, and indeed the government, cannot use a shortcut to get around
—Press room
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