On May 4, 2022, the Supreme Court will issue its decision in the lawsuit challenging the payment of monthly allowances to the President and Vice President’s spouses.
When Parliament approved mid-last year on an amendment to the Prof. Ntiamoah-Baidu Committee to reward spouses of the President and Vice-President almost $47,000 throughout their husbands’ tenures in office, there was a significant discussion and outburst of anger in Ghana.
The recommended sum was determined to be the same as a Cabinet Minister’s pay. Many Ghanaians spoke out against the move, citing what was often perceived as the poor man’s worsening economic situation.
Following that, two Members of Parliament, Rockson Nelson Etse Dafeamekpor (South Dayi) and Dr. Clement Apak (Builsa South), as well as a private citizen, Frederick Nii Commey, petitioned the Supreme Court for a ruling.
They contend that the Prof. Ntiamoah-Baidu Committee overreached when it made recommendations on salaries, allowances payable, facilities, and privileges that were not only limited to Article 71 office holders under the 1992 Constitution, but also extended to spouses of the President and Vice President, as well as spouses of former Presidents and Vice Presidents.
Their lawyer, Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo, contends that the First and Second Ladies are not Article 71 Office Holders and, as such, requests that the Supreme Court deem the sections of the Committee’s report pertaining to them as unconstitutional, null, void, and of no effect.
Nii Kpakpo Samoa contends in his written submission to the Court that granting courtesies, including the payment of allowances to 1st and 2nd Ladies, whether past or present, is merely humanitarian and has no legal foundation.
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SOURCE: CITINEWS
