For him, the issues that have arisen following the parliamentary approval given to the Ntiamoah-Baidoo Committee report on salaries for First and Second Ladies, should centre on whether or not they deserve to be paid.
In a tweet, the Former Executive Director of the Danquah Institute said “My take on the matter is short. The Constitution did not bar spouses of President and his Vice (in and out of office) from being compensated (allowance or pay).
“It is whether or not we believe they deserve it and formalising it is the right thing to do. This, to me, is the issue.”
Meanwhile First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo has refunded all the allowances paid her since 2017.
Mrs Akufo-Addo on Tuesday July 13 issued a Consolidated Bank Ghana Limited cheque for GH¢899,097.84 as a refund of all allowances received since 2017.
On Monday, July 12, she announced that due to the “extremely negative opinions” which have laced conversations on her allowances, she was refunding every pesewa.
She also served notice not to receive any monies that have been allocated to be paid to her pursuant to recommendations of the Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee, which was tasked in 2019 to review emoluments of Article 71 office holders.
She found the public debate “distasteful, seeking to portray her as a venal, self-serving and self-centered woman who does not care about the plight of ordinary Ghanaian”.
Barely 24 hours after that, her office has written to the Chief of Staff, Frema Osei Opare, to present the cheque number for the full refund of the monies.
“Her Excellency, the First Lady remains committed to her role as First Lady and is devoted to her charity work championing the wellbeing of women and children in Ghana,” wrote Mrs Shirley Laryea of the Office of the First Lady.
Second Lady Samira Bawumia has also announced that she will refund all allowances paid her since 2017, when her husband became the Vice President of Ghana.
A statement issued by her office on Tuesday, July 13 also indicated that Mrs Bawumia will not accept any monies allocated her as per recommendations by the Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee.
“Mrs Bawumia continues to be committed to the service of the nation,” the statement noted.
It added that she stays committed “to deliver humanitarian interventions and initiatives in the areas of health, education and economic development”.
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana
]]>