The Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee’s proposal that spouses of Presidents and Vice Presidents be given monthly wages was similarly rejected by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
The organization claims that the wives have no defined responsibilities under the constitution and, as a result, are “ineligible to collect wages from the public purse.”
The TUC said this in a press release published on Sunday, July 11, 2021, and signed by TUC Secretary-General Dr. Yaw Baah.
Despite Ghanaians’ appreciation for the First and Second Ladies’ efforts, the TUC claims that the constitution does not give them any formal duties.
And thus, any payment salaries to them is “simply not right”.
“Ghanaians value what the first and second ladies are doing to promote women’s rights, children’s rights, and other wonderful efforts that contribute to our country’s social and economic growth. However, neither the Ghanaian Constitution nor the laws of the country give them any formal obligations or duties.”
“Therefore, the Trades Union Congress cannot support the payment of salaries to the spouses of presidents and vice presidents, even if the Ntiamoa-Baidu’s Committee recommended the payment of such salaries. It is simply not right for anyone who has not been officially assigned duties and responsibilities in the public service to receive monthly salaries. The Committee probably sought to rationalize or regularize allowances that were being paid already, hence its recommendation to convert such allowances into salaries. But you cannot regularize or rationalize the payment of salaries which have no basis.”
Meanwhile, the TUC said that the First and Second Ladies’ backdated wages from 2017 had already been paid, as per the committee’s recommendation.
“Salary arrears dating back to January 2017 have been paid to President Akufo-and Addo’s Vice President Bawumia’s spouses, in line with the Committee’s recommendation, which was accepted by NDC and NPP Members of Parliament.”
Ghanaians angry
Some Ghanaians are outraged when it was revealed that the President’s wife, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, and his Vice-wife, President’s Samira Bawumia, would earn emoluments similar to cabinet members.
Some have chastised the Akufo-Addo administration for the development, but Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has explained that the payment of the said allowances is not a new phenomenon, that it was started under the Kufuor administration and had benefited others, but that it was only formalized by the current government.
Recommendations for emoluments
According to the proposed emoluments, the President’s spouse would be paid a salary equal to that of a Cabinet Minister-MP while in office.
They will be entitled to a remuneration equal to 80% of a Minister of State-salary MP’s if the spouse served one full term as President, or 100% of a Minister of State-salary MP’s if the spouse served two or more full terms as President after leaving office.
When the Vice President is in office, his or her spouse shall be entitled to a salary equal to that of a Cabinet Minister who is not a Member of Parliament.
After leaving office, the Vice President’s spouse will be entitled to a remuneration equal to 80% of a Minister of State non-pay MP’s if the spouse served one full term as Vice President, or 100% of a Minister of State non-salary MP’s if the spouse served two or more full terms as Vice President.
The emoluments were part of recommendations made by President Nana Akufo-five-member Addo’s Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-commission Baidu’s on wages and other gratuities for Article 71 officeholders, which was established in June 2019 by President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Source: CITINEWSROOM
