Salary arrears to former MPs: Auditor General rejects Chief of Staff request

The Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo, has caused a controversy yet again, rebuffing the Chief of Staff request for an audit verification to be conducted in order for the payment of salary arrears to over 200 former and current Members of Parliament.

The former Members of Parliament, some of whom left Parliament over 10 years ago, are requesting the payment of arrears of salaries and emoluments amounting to over GH¢29.7 million.

Frema Osei Opare’s request is based on a letter from a group known as Forum for Former Members of Parliament.

But Mr. Domelovo has described their request as invalid and amounting to a conflict of interest since most of the beneficiaries would be members of the current government, including the President and the Chief of Staff.

“Apart from the fact that the claim from the FFMP is invalid because the CHC report for 2005 to 2009 was rejected, it may also amount to an abuse of power or conflict of interest to make additional payment (20% salary increase per annum for four years) to former Members of Parliament (covering a period of 10 to 14 years ago) especially when some of them are now the executive,” the Auditor General pointed out in his letter”, he told Citi FM.

“It is also a public knowledge that some MPs were or are undergoing police investigations for receiving double salaries which implies overpayment but several of the names are included in the list for additional payment submitted by FFMPs per Office of the President letter dated 22nd April 2020,” he said.

According to him, “It is my considered opinion that the Former MPs are not entitled to what they are asking for, but it also came to me as a big surprise that our honourable former MPs are making such a request at time of a pandemic which has taken the entire world by surprise.”