President Akufo-Addo has established a five (5) member committee task to determine the emoluments and privileges of Article 71 officeholders in Ghana.
The committee led by Dr. Janet Fofie a former chairperson of the Public Services Commission will assess the appropriate Ex-gratia payment for the political office holders and other positions as necessary.
Article 71 Office Holders – During former president John Mahama’s tenure, he constituted a Constitutional committee to review the emoluments of the Article 71 class of public sector workers.
The five-member committee chaired by Prof. Dora Edu-Boandoh presented its report to the President in September 2015.
The contents remained concealed from the public till after the December 2016 elections.
The Committee in its report recommended that the recommendations in an earlier report set up by the Late President Mills be restored.
a point awarding system was used to determine salaries of Article 71 office holders with the president awarded 100 points, and the Vice President 90 points which translates into 90% of the president’s salary.
Per this system, MPs were supposed to take 50% of the president’s salary which they rejected and were therefore awarded 60%.
The Edu-Boandoh report recommended a 10% annual increase in salaries for Article 71 officeholders based on the Ewurama report (from 2013).
What it means is that there is a 10% increment in their salary every year from 2013.
The committee also recommended that all officers under this category earn 4 months’ salary for each year served as ex-gratia.
What this means is that an MP who served for years is entitled to 16 months’ salary as ex-gratia. The salaries of the Article 71 officeholders as of 2012;
During the committee’s inauguration, President Akufo-Addo directed them to also evaluate the salaries and allowances of the political office holders.
Story by: Osei Akoto (Teacher Kojo) / Ahotoronline.com
