Majority Leader in Parliament Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu says promises by NDC flagbearer John Mahama that assembly members will be paid salaries if he wins the December elections is unconstitutional. 

Speaking on the Floor o the House Monday, he stated that the former president has no power to pay assembly members because the constitution is categorical that their emoluments would have to be paid by the district assemblies. 

“Mr Speaker Article 250 subcategory 2 states that The emolument of a presiding member of a district assemble and other members of the assembly shall be determined by the district assembly and paid out of the assembly’s own resources.”

Mr Kyei Mensah explained that as long as the article has not been amended assembly members cannot be paid salaries by the president.

“Where are you going to get the money from? No presidential candidate can go about making such promises. We should be serious with ourselves as a nation,” he added 

John Mahama during a meeting with Ghana Association of Assembly Members promised to pay them when he is voted into power.

He said the allowances will be paid with the savings his government will make by drastically cutting down the number of ministers in his next administration in 2021 or enrol them into the consolidated fund.

He also promised his government will work closely with the assembly to deepen their role in governance.

However, Mr Kyei Mensah said that the power to change the constitution lies in the hands of parliament and not a president.

But Minority Chief Whip in Parliament Muntaka Mubarak says the former president’s statement is a word of intent and he will amend the constitution to allow for that. 

He stated that Mr Kyei Mensah’s claim that the law needs to be changed before promises are made is creating a false impression.

“A number of times we have seen the Minister of Finance come to this house during the budget presentation and make announcement about taxes and after he has done that he later comes to amend the law to accommodate what he is saying,” Mr Muntaka claimed.

He said that the Majority leaders claim that the law has to be changed before promises are made is not right.

“If he does not believe in someone’s promises that is fine but do not create an impression that those things cannot be changed.”