Some labour unions have warned they may be forced to demand an upward adjustment in salaries and conditions of service if the newly constituted emolument committee by the President recommends upward review for Article 71 office holders.

President Akufo Addo on Wednesday inaugurated the Dr. Janet Ofori committee to determine the appropriate salaries and other privileges for the specified category of people.

The President called for a debate to arrive at a constitutional decision on the entitlements of Article 71 Officeholders in view of the public’s concerns about the matter. 

Reacting to the setting up of the committee, the University of Ghana branch President of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Prof. Ransford Gyampoh warned that organized labour will demand more if the emolument committee’s report recommends an upward adjustment.

According to him, considering the current fiscal situation of the country, an upward adjustment of Article 71 officeholders’ benefits would be offensive to the citizenry.

“What I know is that, for them, for members of the committee, a review will mean upward adjustment. And so sometimes it’s even funny, it’s even ridiculous. These are committee members who themselves are public servants who earn pittance.

“Yet they sit down to think that politicians who often times come to rape the nation and milk the nation dry are more intelligent and better than all other public servants and so they must always adjust their salary upward,” he said.

He added that now that he is President of UTAG-UG, he will capitalize on every situation – including this – to seek better conditions of service for his colleagues.

“Look, I am now President of UTAG-UG. I am looking forward to more instances where we are going to fight for better conditions of services,” he said.