Prez Mahama Tells ‘Ananse Story’

The President, John Dramani Mahama last week came under heavy public criticism for accepting to be paid GHc 12,000.00 monthly salary, and in an attempt to douse the public anger and also to deflect the incessant pressure on him, he has found himself in a quicksand which has the tendency of bringing activities of the Executive into disrepute.

It was reported in the media last Wednesday that before Parliament went on recess, the House approved the increment of salaries of the President, the Vice President and some members of the Executive arm of government

Under the new structure,the President will now be paid 12,000 Ghana Cedis monthly while his Vice will rake home 10,500 Ghana Cedis. Ministers of State and their Deputies will also receive salaries ranging from 8,000 and 9,000 Ghana Cedis. That report was met with condemnation from civil society groups as well as a section of the populace. 

The public outcry went viral on almost every media outlet but the Executive arm of government kept mum on the subject. The closest of comment that emanated from the Executive was from one of its Communication Members, Fred Agbenyo who stated on Peace Fm’s Kokrokoo morning show that Parliament was solely responsible for the salary adjustment.

Interestingly, over the weekend, leading media outlets,www.myjoyonline.com, www.citifmonline.com andwww.peacefmonline.com reported that President Mahama had requested Parliament to consider a review of the emoluments approved for the Executive arm of government, a move which is akin to a claim of alibi on the part of the President.

A statement signed by the Secretary to the President, J. K. Bebaako Mensah, stated that President Mahama has ordered the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning to withhold authorization for payment of any new emoluments for the executive. 

A Good Governance watcher who spoke to The New Crusading GUIDE yesterday stated that “what the President has done is dangerous to our democracy because he is implying that he did not know anything about the increment until it got to the public domain and thereby pitching the Legislature against the populace. That certainly is unfortunate since the report was sent by the Presidency for the approval of the House.” 

According to Article 71(2) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, “The salaries and allowances payable, and the facilities available, to the President, the Vice-President, the chairman and the other members of the Council of State; Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers, being expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund, shall be determined by Parliament on the recommendations of the committee referred to in clause (1) of this article.

Article71(1) states that “The salaries and allowances payable, and the facilities and privileges available, to- (a) the Speaker and Deputy Speakers and members of Parliament;(b) the Chief Justice and the other Justices of the Superior Court of Judicature;(c) the Auditor-General, the Chairman and Deputy Chairmen of the Electoral Commission, the commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice and his Deputies and the District Assemblies Common Fund Administrator;(d) the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and the other members of-(i) a National Council for Higher Education howsoever described;(ii) the Public Services Commission;(iii) the National Media Commission;(iv) the Lands Commission; and(v) the National Commission for civic Education; being expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund, shall be determined by the President on the recommendations of a committee of not more than five persons appointed by the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Council of State.


*JUNE 8, 2010: INAUGURATION OF EMOLUMENTS COMMITTEE:

At the inauguration of the Emoluments Committee in June, 2010, the late President, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills charged the Committee members to take into account the nation's economic circumstances and the equitable distribution of national resources when fixing emoluments for the designated national office holders.

The Five-Member Committee is chaired by Professor Marian Ewurama Addy, a former Head of Biochemistry Department, University of Ghana, Legon. Other members are Mrs. Marian Barnor, a Lawyer and Governance Expert, Nana Kobena Nketsiah, Paramount Chief of Essikado Traditional Area, Dr. Gheysika Agambilla, Senior Lecturer, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and former Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning under President Kufuor's Administration and Dr. Anthony Yaw Buah, Deputy General Secretary of Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC). 

From all indications and empirical evidence backed by constitutional provisions, Parliament does not generate a report on the emoluments and salaries for the Executive and Article 71 office holders unless it emanates from the Presidency. 

*BEGGING QUESTIONS:

The questions that are begging for immediate answers are:

1. Which arm of government sent the report to Parliament for its approval?

2. Which body generated that report?

3. When was it sent to Parliament?

4. Did the Presidency know about those recommendations?

5. When did Parliament communicate to the Presidency that the House had approved the recommendations?

6. Did Parliament make any adjustments in the recommendations before approving it?