A group of Assembly Members known as the Concerned Assembly Members Association of Ghana has issued out a statement to demand for better welfare conditions from government with immediate effect.
The group in its statement issued out on Monday, July 12, 2021 and signed by its national coordinator, observed with shock, the speed with which President Akufo-Addo rolled out a policy to pay monthly salaries to his spouse and that of his vice president and the huge amount the government has secured as loans to Members of Parliament as car loans and has resolved to as well press up for better welfare as they equally deserve better conditions.
According to the group, since 2019 that they were sworn in, the basic tool like motorbikes that are to be given out to Assembly Members to facilitate their work across their various Electoral Areas have not been given out and the exgratia for some Assembly Members in other districts have not been paid to Assembly Members in the last assembly session.
Kindly find the full statement as issued out.
FOR IMMIDIATE PRESS RELEASE
FIX THE WELFARE CHALLENGES OF ASSEMBLY MEMBERS NOW OR FACE OUR WRATH
We the members of Concerned Assembly Members Association of Ghana (CAMAG) have observe with a great shock, the zeal and the speed upon which the government intends to pay the wives of the President and his Vice President and also how a loan agreement to purchase Vehicles for members of Parliament for the Republic of Ghana has been rush to Parliament seeking for approval meanwhile, Assembly Members have been sworn in since 2019, common motorbikes to assist us perform our daily activities the government has not been able to procure not to talk of how quality these motor bikes will be.
It is also absurd and shock to note that, assembly members have been crying to government to pay us allowance to compensate our effort in keeping the local base of our local governance system but the government has turned a deaf ear to our call but was in a hurry to pay the wives of the President and his Vice President a monthly salary not even an allowance.
It is also shocking to note that, the last ex-gratia for the previous assembly has not been fully paid as in the case in some districts in the country meanwhile, we the assembly members has consistently advocate with proposals that the end of service benefits due assembly members must be charge as against the consolidated accounts in other to address inequalities in the payment of ex-gratia and we have also suggested a number of ways these can be achieve but the government then again has turned a deaf ear but was in a hurry to review emoluments for article 71 holders.
It is in view of this that we are sending a notice to the government that, enough is enough, and that the government must start addressing the welfare challenges of assembly members now.
We also demand immediate response to the following concerns;
- Payment of monthly allowance to assembly members
- Timely release of our motor bikes and involvement of leaders of various registered associations of assembly members in the procurement process.
- Payment of end of service benefits (ex-gratia) should be charged as against the consolidated accounts to address inequalities that arise.
We can only hope that government will use same speed and urgency it used in sitting up a committee to approve payment of salary to the wives of the President and his Vice President and how a loan agreement to purchase Vehicles for members of Parliament for the Republic of Ghana has been rush to parliament seeking for approval to address these challenges facing assembly members anything short of this will lead to actions that won’t be pleasing to the government.
God bless our homeland Ghana.
David Atta Twum
National Coordinator
Concerned Assembly Members Association of Ghana (CAMAG) (0209232524/0248979400)
