The Executive Director of Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mensah Thompson, has intimated that the approval for the payment of salaries of the first and second lady is illegal.
Speaking on the approval which took place yesterday, he also noted that the position offered the ladies does not put them in the position to be paid like cabinet ministers.
“The committee recommended that some form of allowances be paid them which has been done. So, yes, I disagree.”
Mensah Thompson
He also averred that;the article 71 of the constitution makes a list of public service holders who are referred to as article 71 office holders. On the back of this,;he said since the first and second lady do not fall under these officers,;they are not to be paid like them.
“The office of the Professor Yaa Ayitey committee has been given every four years to review;the salary of only Article 71 office holders. If the President and Vice President’s wife cannot be found in the list of Article 71 office holders,;how did they appear in a committee that is supposed to review salaries for these office holders?”
Mensah Thompson
Mr. Thompson also lamented about the fact that the President has ignored all the economic difficulties that he has spoken about,;his directive that this year public service workers are not going to receive any increment in salaries because of the pandemic and had watched the approval to go on.
ASEPA will challenge approval
He revealed that ASEPA will challenge the decision in court and;ask the court to pronounce that the committee’s approval to pay the first ladies as one that is not right.
“And so that action should be rendered moot and be seen as an illegality.”
Mensah Thompson
Also speaking on the issue, Mr. Maxwell Ocansey,;a governance expert was also of the view that the first and second ladies should not be paid like cabinet ministers.
He indicated that they have to consider their works as pro-bono and make do with their allowances because there is no such provision for these approved salaries by the constitution.
“Ghana has a constitution that defines position holders. What functions are they performing as far as the constitution is concerned that should become a problem for the tax payer?
“I do not subscribe to the first and second lady being paid. Whatever they are doing they have arrogated themselves to do that job and;it is pro bono so I don’t see why they should also add to the tax payer’s burden. There is no constitutional provision for them so I don’t see the need.”
Maxwell Ocansey
First lady groups/unions should generate funds
He further suggested that a fund generating mechanism should be adopted;in order to provide for the current and the subsequent first and second ladies. He explained that this can be done since the women find themselves in various groups and organizations.
“They must find a way of funding themselves maybe through their own personal contributions or dues payment or something else. I don’t think they should encumber the nation that they are first ladies so they should be paid.”
Maxwell Ocansey
