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Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah explained that the payment of allowances to the spouses of presidents and vice-presidents is not new.
According to him, compensation payments were instituted under the Kufuor administration, but were only being formalized by the current government.
“President Kufuor, in his wisdom, instituted it because of the bad situation of certain spouses of certain former heads of state at the time. President Mills and Mahama even increased the rates of these benefits during their tenure. ”
This issue is gradually dominating discussions in the country following claims that President Akufo-Addo has given his consent for his wife, Ms. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, and Dr. Bawumia’s wife, Ms. Samira Bawumia to receive the same salaries as cabinet ministers. .
Oppong Nkrumah told Daily Graphic the claims were misleading.
“The president does not approve of executive salaries and benefits. Under section 71, the First Lady and the Second Lady are not office holders, so no one can determine their benefits under that section.
“However, a committee [on emoluments] only recommended that an arrangement for the spouses be formalized and which has received the approval of Parliament, ”he said.
The Minister of Information in the interview revealed that: “The truth is that, all the surviving spouses of heads of state, current and former, have always received salaries. Lordina Mahama, Naadu Mills, Matilda Amissah-Arthur, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, Faustina Acheampong, Fulera Liman, etc.
“What has happened now is that the arrangement was formalized, but it was done legally based on the recommendation of the emoluments committee. [in 2019]”, Specified the Minister of Information.
—Press room
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