Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, rejected claims of the minority in parliament receiving double salary. According to him, he is a part of the appointments committee and it has never come up in their conversations.
He further revealed that, the allegations by Martin Amidu on the minority being influenced to appoint ministers is far-fetched.
His comments follow Martin Amidu’s assertion on the minority receiving double salaries under the Mahama administration.
“[With] the issue of government prosecuting people or investigating them over double salaries, not even once did it ever feature in our consideration as members of the appointment’s committee and even as members of the minority group. Based on what I know, there’s no way I could have been part of it…
“I am telling you as an insider that throughout our consideration as appointments committee or as members of the minority group; at no point was the issue of double salary a matter of discussion. It had always been about the constitution and maybe some other considerations [on] why people should be approved or not approved. Never did it feature in any of our conversations”.
Double salary versus ministerial appointments
In 2018 it surfaced that some MPs who served as Ministers in the Mahama administration, allegedly received double salaries.
An audit report of the payroll data revealed some legislators, including Ellembelle MP, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, and former Kpone Katamanso MP, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, received double salary.
Former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu in a six paged document on May 25, 2021, accused President Akufo-Addo of using dishonest tactics in ensuring that ministerial nominees got approved by the Minority legislators on the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
According to him, the President had leveraged the double salary scandal in which some NDC members were complicit. This, he revealed, compelled them to approve the President’s ministerial appointments.
Securing an election win
Meanwhile, Mr. Suhuyini has revealed that, his service to his constituents isn’t done to secure a win during an election.
According to him, it is his duty to help those he can without necessarily currying their favour or ‘buying’ their votes.
Mr. Suhuyini stressed the fact that legislators who do not offer financial aid to electorates end up being knocked off their seat. However, he attributes his stay in office by divine intervention.
“To be honest with you; I do my very best every time without fearing that I will win or lose an election. I think it is by the grace of God that we are where we are.
“If you come to my constituency almost 30,000 voted for me. But trust me, with the four years that I will serve as MP, I will not have the opportunity to meet the needs of up to about 10,000. Some wish to have direct access to me and seek help”.
Additionally, Mr. Suhuyini emphasized on the high dependency of the poor people in the society on the rich. He insisted that, this is credited to the failure of the system in ensuring fairness and equality in the country.
“If you put yourself out there that you want to help society, and you campaign to be elected to help society, it is logical that when society has needs, whether it is a communal need or a personal need, they will come to you”
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