Attorney General and Minister for Justice Dominic Ayine has announced that the government has accepted the establishment of an independent Public Emoluments Commission to determine the salaries, allowances, facilities and privileges of Article 71 office holders as part of a broader constitutional reform agenda.

According to Dr Ayine, the proposed commission is intended to eliminate the perceived conflict of interest under the current system, where a committee appointed by the President determines the emoluments of Article 71 office holders, including those of the President.

Speaking on the government's accountability series on Thursday, July 30, Dr Ayine said the existing arrangement has long attracted public criticism and undermined confidence in the process for determining the remuneration of top public officials.

"To deal with the question of emoluments of Article 71 office holders, the government has also accepted the establishment of an independent Public Emoluments Commission to determine salaries, allowances, facilities and privileges of public office holders listed in Article 71," he stated.

The proposed commission will oversee the remuneration of a wide range of public officials covered under Article 71 of the 1992 Constitution, including the President, Vice-President, Members of Parliament, ministers of state, justices of the superior courts, as well as the leadership of key constitutional bodies such as the Electoral Commission and the National Commission for Civic Education.

Dr Ayine argued that allowing an independent institution to determine the remuneration of these office holders would strengthen transparency, accountability and public trust in the process.

"The current arrangement, under which a committee appointed by the President determines the emoluments of office holders, including the President himself, creates a structural conflict of interest and has been a persistent source of public dissatisfaction," he said.

He added that the establishment of an independent Public Emoluments Commission would ensure fairness and remove longstanding concerns about political influence in setting the compensation of high-ranking public officials.

"An independent commission will bring transparency and equity to this matter once and for all," the Attorney-General stressed.

The proposal forms part of a package of constitutional reforms aimed at strengthening governance, improving accountability and modernising Ghana's democratic institutions. If implemented, the new commission is expected to fundamentally change how the remuneration of Article 71 office holders is determined by replacing the current presidential committee system with an independent statutory body.