The Chamber for Local Governance (ChaLoG) is apprehensive on a letter purportedly written and signed for and on behalf of the Local Government Minister by the Chief Director of the Ministry, directing the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies (MMDAs) to determine the payment of emoluments to the Hon. Assembly Members whose tenure ended in 2023 within the proposed amounts: Metropolitan (Ghc 3,000), Municipal (2,500) and District (2,000).
Going forward HChaLoG wishes to state without any fear of contradiction that, the said directive from the Minister to the MMDAs is an outright illegality and should be withdrawn forthwith.
ChaLoG strongly contends that the Minister is not clothed with the power to direct any MMDA on the allowances and emoluments paid to the Presiding Member and Assembly Members when they are in active service or not.
The chamber reiterated that, the MMDAs to which this illegal directive is directed at are all legally constituted and still clothed with the power to on their own determine the emoluments and allowances of sitting and past Assembly Members.
ChaLoG, therefore cannot comprehend the issuance of such a directive to MMDAs when there is no law expressly mandating him to do so.
For the avoidance of doubt, Section 11(2) of the Local Governance Act, 2016 Act (936) states “The emoluments of a Presiding Member of a District Assembly and other members of the District Assembly shall be determined by the District Assembly and paid out of the District Assembly’s own resources”.
ChaLoG wishes to urgently call on the Minister to with immediate effect withdraw this letter (directive), which for all intent and purposes is an illegality and more importantly a serious affront to the concept of local governance and decentralisation.
The Minister should know or ought to have known that, this uninformed directive is tantamount to usurping the power and authority of the MMDAs to determine their own allowances and emoluments, which no doubt flies in the face Section 11(2) of the Local Governance Act, 2016 Act (936).
Signed
Dr. Richard Fiadomor President 0243138633
Hon. Romeo Elikplim Akahoho Executive Secretary 0244967680
Hon Alhaji Ibrahim F. Faila Public Relations Officer
AYM Kukah: E-:mail:kukahalexander7@gmail.com
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CHAMBER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (ChaLoG)
P. O BOX SK 330, SAKUMONO ESTATES, TEMA
PRESS RELEASE
28th APRIL, 2024
STOP THE ILLEGALITY, YOU DON’T HAVE THE POWER TO DETERMINE THE END-OF-SERVICE EMOLUMENTS PAYABLE TO ASSEMBLY MEMBERS – ChaLoG TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER.
The Chamber for Local Governance (ChaLoG) has become aware of a letter purportedly written and signed for and on behalf of the Local Government Minister by the Chief Director of the Ministry, directing the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies (MMDAs) to determine the payment of emoluments to the Hon. Assembly Members whose tenure ended in 2023 within the proposed amounts: Metropolitan (Ghc 3,000), Municipal (2,500) and District (2,000).
ChaLoG wishes to state without any fear of contradiction that, the said directive from the Minister to the MMDAs is an outright illegality and should be withdrawn forthwith.
ChaLoG strongly contends that the Minister is not clothed with the power to direct any MMDA on the allowances and emoluments paid to the Presiding Member and Assembly Members when they are in active service or not. The MMDAs to which this illegal directive is directed at are all legally constituted and still clothed with the power to on their own determine the emoluments and allowances of sitting and past Assembly Members.
ChaLoG, therefore cannot comprehend the issuance of such a directive to MMDAs when there is no law expressly mandating him to do so.
For the avoidance of doubt, Section 11(2) of the Local Governance Act, 2016 Act (936) states “The emoluments of a Presiding Member of a District Assembly and other members of the District Assembly shall be determined by the District Assembly and paid out of the District Assembly’s own resources”.
ChaLoG wishes to urgently call on the Minister to with immediate effect withdraw this letter (directive), which for all intent and purposes is an illegality and more importantly a serious affront to the concept of local governance and decentralisation.
The Minister should know or ought to have known that, this uninformed directive is tantamount to usurping the power and authority of the MMDAs to determine their own allowances and emoluments, which no doubt flies in the face Section 11(2) of the Local Governance Act, 2016 Act (936).
Long Live Ghana
Long Live Local Governance
Long Live ChaLoG
Signed
Dr. Richard Fiadomor President 0243138633
Hon. Romeo Elikplim Akahoho Executive Secretary 0244967680
Hon Alhaji Ibrahim F. Faila Public Relations Officer 0244237456
