No ESBs For Tribunal Members

Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, on Thursday said panel members of the various tribunals, which were recently abolished were not entitled to end of service benefits. He said the Judicial Service has no such plans for the members of the tribunals because it was not part of their conditions of service.

The Minister was answering a question in Parliament on Thursday when Mr Stephen Adoma-Yeboah, NPP-Dorma East, asked what plans the Ministry had for panel members of the various tribunals, which were recently abolished.

Papa Owusu-Ankomah said the members were engaged as non-permanent staff by the Judicial Service and were paid sitting allowances of 10,000 cedis and transport allowances of eight thousands cedis per day.

"Panel members were either on permanent appointment elsewhere and seconded to the Judicial Service or were personnel, who had retired and were enjoying their retiring benefits."

The Minister said the panel members were given two months' notice before the final termination of their appointment. Mr Adomah-Yeboah asked if it were possible to recruit some of the younger panel members into the Judicial Service but the Minister said most of them did not meet the qualification and the majority were too old.