Dec 20, 2012 at 6:37pm

Spokesperson for President Mahama, John Jinapor has stated that the President’s request for Parliament to review the recently approved pay levels for members of the executive arm of government was taken in the interest of the nation.

Parliament recently increased the salaries of the president, his vice, ministers and deputy ministers. The President was to take home, GHC 12,000 every month while his deputy was to take GHC 10,500. Ministers and their deputies were also receive salaries ranging from GHC 8,000 and GHC 9,000.

However Parliament on Thursday refused to grant the President’s request after a closed door meeting.

This is after President had directed the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning to withhold authorization of payment of the newly approved salary increment pending a review by Parliament.

Parliament stated that it is not their place to review the salaries of the executive arm of government.

The Member of Parliament for the Asikuma-Odoben Brakwa Constituency, P.C. Appiah Ofori commended Parliament for the refusal to review the recently approved pay levels.

He described the President’s request as unfortunate saying, “as a matter of fact, the President erred by asking Parliament to review because the constitution doesn’t say Parliament shall the review the salaries of the President and his Executives…If Parliament said no, Parliament has acted properly. And I don’t think the President was right to say Parliament should review.”

But speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on Thursday, Mr. Jinapor said: “What the President did was according to law…clearly in terms of final determination [of salaries for the executive], my thinking is that it is from Parliament. As I said, I am not a lawyer but I believe strongly that what the President was right and there is nothing wrong with that.”

He mentioned that the President will consider Parliament’s decision regarding his request adding that “we respect the views of Members of Parliament…but clearly the President took the decision in the national interest. He thought that the amount could be reviewed downwards.”


By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana