I have long held the view that Article 71 emoluments is in urgent need of overhaul – Ablakwa

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency and a ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament has disclosed that the entire article 71 emoluments need a major overhaul.

The North Tongu Member of Parliament made this comment in expressing his views on the recent topic of public discussion about the decision by President Akufo-Addo to pay his spouse and that of his vice president a monthly salary based on the recommendation of a committee.

Prior to this comment by the former deputy minister of education under the erstwhile Mahama administration, there have been a number of individuals, civil organization groups and a major section of the public who have consistently expressed their dissatisfaction by President Akufo-Addo to have agreed to the recommendation by the committee to pay monthly salaries to his spouse and that of his vice president citing the economic hardships the country faces.

On Thursday, three persons went to the Supreme Court to challenge this singular decision and seek to subsequently pray the court to stop the decision of the president from making that payment.

Kindly read the full statement by the MP for North Tongu

We need to demolish this apartheid superstructure and create a new conditions of service framework for public officials which are more equitable, transparent, justifiable and acceptable to the people who employ us.

As MPs, let us also boldly confront and discontinue the practice of government loans to purchase vehicles for MPs. If the executive branch of government does not have the resources to provide duty vehicles for MPs as it does for MMDCEs, CEOs of State Institutions/SOEs, Ministers, Judges, Civil Servants, Security Services, and so on and so forth, then MPs who need car loans should be allowed to make their own private car loan arrangements with the banks just as most private sector workers do. That will simply require that government stop the monthly deductions from MP’s salaries so we will be free to broker individual car loan deals based on our salary structure, constituency terrain and other personal preferences.

I honestly hope many colleague MPs will agree with me so we join forces and get Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to withdraw his MP’s car loan agreement from Parliament. MPs have been deliberately thrown under the bus and subjected to needless opprobrium one too many.

Fortunately, Rt. Hon. Speaker Bagbin has been a long time advocate for a uniform duty vehicle policy in the public sphere which does not discriminate between Ministers, MMDCEs, CEOs, Judges and MPs — I strongly believe we can count on his support as we pursue this mission.

Deep reflection is needed on just how long the political class can keep stoking the anger levels of the masses beyond boiling point? We must not underestimate the people’s grave revulsion and its volcanic consequences on the stability and sustainability of our democracy.

Time to adopt a totally new and sincere paradigm.