Scrap unfair salaries immediately – TUC
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has asked the government to ensure equitable salaries for public sector workers and cut huge wages for political officeholders.
This follows a recommendation by a committee for parliament to implement official remuneration packages for presidential spouses.
TUC is of the view that discrepancies have existed for nearly three decades at the blind side of Ghanaian taxpayers which should cease immediately.
In addition, the union says it has observed that the current system favours politicians at the expense of other jobholders in the public service in terms of salaries, allowances and other job-related privileges.
Accordingly, TUC has advised President Akufo-Addo to address the situation.
This was contained in a statement signed by TUC Secretary-General, Dr Yaw Baah, on Sunday, July 11, 2021.
“We would like to advise the President to initiate a process towards the establishment of a Committee/Commission made up of experts from various fields to advise the government on salaries for all jobholders in the entire public service to ensure fairness,” the union said.
The call by TUC comes in the wake of recommendations by the Professor Ntiamoa-Baidu Presidential Emoluments Committee and subsequent approval by parliament to pay salaries to presidential spouses.
TUC has kicked against the decision, following similar rejections by some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and a section of the public.
The TUC argues that the spouses have not been given any official responsibilities to warrant such salaries.
The union stated that it recognises the salaries of some presidential staffers that are not specified under Article 71 to receive emoluments that are at the level of ministers or even higher.
This, it noted, is backed by the Presidential Office Act, 1993 (Act 463), Legal Service Act and other acts.
This is because, Article 71 office holders and all jobholders in the public service, including presidential staffers, have been assigned official duties and responsibilities.
“Therefore, the Trades Union Congress cannot support the payment of salaries to the spouses of presidents and vice presidents, even if the Ntiamoa-Baidu’s Committee recommended the payment of such salaries,” Dr Baah stated.
“It is simply not right for anyone who has not been officially assigned duties and responsibilities in the public service to receive monthly salaries,” Dr Baah added.
However, the union said, Ghanaians appreciate what the first and second ladies are doing to support women’s rights, children’s rights, and other noble initiatives towards social and economic development of our country.
Public uproar and suits against the Presidential Spouses Salary
Since the emergence of payment of emoluments equivalent to cabinet ministers to the spouses of sitting president and vice president, many Ghanaians have expressed outrage.
According to them, this would further exacerbate the pressure on the taxpayer, public purse and increase the already rising debt of the country.
Meanwhile, two NDC MPs and a private citizen have sued the Attorney General over monthly remuneration for First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Second Lady Samira Bawumia.
South Dayi MP Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, Builsa South MP, Dr Clement Apaak and the Chief Executive Officer of Safenet Logistics, Frederick Nii Commey filed the suit at the registry of the Supreme Court last Thursday, July 8, 2021.
READ ALSO: Minority Heads To Supreme Court Over Presidential Spouses Salary
They are seeking, among other things, an order restraining the President or any other arm, ministry, department or agency of the Executive from implementing any recommendations of the Prof Ntiamoah-Baidu Committee, which pertains to the 1st Lady and the wife of the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana.
The parties are also praying for an order declaring the recommendations in respect of privileges, facilities, salaries and allowances payable to the 1st Lady and the wife of the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana as unconstitutional and void.
The Emolument Committee task
The five-member committee was set up in June 2019 by President Akufo-Addo to make recommendations to him and to Parliament on the salaries and allowances payable and the facilities and privileges available to article 71 officeholders.
The committee was under the chairmanship of Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu, with former Majority Leader and former Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Abraham Ossei Aidooh, and the Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission Dr Edward Kwapong as members.
The current Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency Dr Eric Oduro Osae, and a former Managing Director of Done Well Life Insurance Co. Ltd Mrs Stella Segbawu, were also part of the committee, which had two terms of reference.
They were charged to make recommendations regarding emoluments and other privileges for article 71 officeholders, as specified under the Constitution, and to examine any other relevant matter, which the Committee deemed appropriate to its work.
As part of its recommendations, they proposed that allowances given to the spouses of the President and Vice President be formally included in the review of the entitlements for the executive.
The recommendation is said to have been forwarded to the Seventh Parliament, which gave the final approval.