Inusah Fuseini, a former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, has debunked allegations that legislators under the previous Mahama’s administration received double salaries.
According to him, salaries of MPs then were not fixed during the NDC administration. However, it became more structured with the composition of a Committee by President Akufo-Addo in the 7th Parliament.
Mr. Fuseini’s comments follow some assertions made by former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu which suggested that MPs were receiving double salaries.
He further explained that a six paged letter from the former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, maintained that, this transpired before the Akufo-Addo-led administration took the mantle to govern in 2017.
“No double salary was taken in the first place technically because there was no salary at the time that the payments were done. The salaries of members of the 7th Parliament were fixed consequent upon the Committee established by the President to determine the emolument and privileges of Members of Parliament. This was only when the salaries of Parliament were established.”
Allegations on salary unfounded
He further noted that the alleged evidence that purportedly gave President Akufo-Addo leverage to demand from the NDC Caucus approval of his current Ministers were false.
Mr. Fuseini further dismissed the allegation, explaining that, the President cannot order the opposition party in Parliament. This, he revealed, is because the allegation was not tagged to a specific NDC legislator.
Additionally, he intimated that, the police is yet to charge him, as such, alarms raised by Martin Amidu are unfounded.
“As far as I am concerned, you cannot by any stretch of imagination, even if you have been endowed with the wizardry of OZ, establish a link between what happened in 2017 and what happened in 2021. It is so far-fetched”.
Provide evidence on double salary
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Sagnarigu, Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini, also dismissed the claims by Martin Amidu.
Speaking in an interview, he noted that Mr Amidu’s allegations are shocking and as such, must provide evidence.
“Where is the evidence? Who negotiated on the NDC side and who negotiated on the NPP side? There was no such thing. The proof of allegations lies in the person against who alleges.
“As at the time that such allegations were made, there was no salary. No appointee of John Mahama was paid a salary; members who are part of the Article 71 office holders were just paid on account. So, nobody was paid a salary for anybody to even talk about double salary being paid. So, it is a red herring.”
He further insisted that the former Special Prosecutor had the mandate then to prosecute perpetrators. This, he noted, could have been done without the involvement of the Attorney General.
Additionally, Mr. Alhaji Fuseini stated that the allegation was a trick the NPP had sought to implicate the NDC in their bid to fight corruption.
“I have said it clearly that if you can’t carry your load, you can’t blame your head pan. So, this banter between him [Martin Amidu] and the Attorney General is out of incompetence. They can share it among themselves”.
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