Alhaji Asoma Banda, Member of the Council of State (adviser to the president) on Monday did not mince words when he described the 'undivided stance' by Members of Parliament (MPs) for a pay rise as "disgraceful." Speaking on Radio Gold in Accra, he said the position of an MP was voluntary and therefore the legislators had no business to demand for their 'comfort' at the expense of the people they want to serve. Alhaji Asoma Banda, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Antrak Group of Companies, phoned into the radio discussion when the Majority Chief Whip, Mr. Gershon K.B Gbediame, was on air elucidating on the issue of emolument for MPs. "I don't like to call into radio discussions, but the discussion by MPs on radio demanding for car, house, petrol, is disgraceful. MPs are to serve their people voluntarily and not to seek fortune in parliament, and if they find their work difficult, the best thing is to quit and not to sit on radio and make all kinds of demands," the Council of State Member stated. However, the Majority Chief Whip argued that the provisions in the 1992 Constitution defines clearly the emoluments of public office holders, stressing that the provisions must be complied with. Gbediame, who is also the MP for NKwanta South in the Volta Region, said, "I want to believe those people the government/president appoints to look at these conditions of service are well informed members of this society, and before they even sit to approve anything, they would have taken into consideration some of these things and we are not going to coerce them to agree on what we demand; they will only act on what the Constitution tells them to do." Article 71 of the 1992 Constitution states "The salaries and allowances payable, and the facilities and privileges available, to (a) the Speaker and Deputy Speakers and Members of Parliament; (b) the Chief Justice and the other Justices of the Superior Court of Judicature; (c) the Auditor-General, the Chairman and Deputy Chairmen of the Electoral Commission, the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice and his Deputies and the District Assemblies Common Fund Administrator; (d) the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and the other members of: (i) National Council for Higher Education howsoever described; (ii) the Public Services Commission; (iii) the National Media Commission; (iv) the Lands Commission; and (v) the National Commission for civic Education; being expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund, shall be determined by the President on the recommendations of a committee of not more than five persons appointed by the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Council of State." Clauses (2) and (3) of article 71 further states, "The salaries and allowances payable, and the facilities available, to the President, the Vice-President, the Chairman and the other members of the Council of State; Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers, being expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund, shall be determined by Parliament on the recommendations of the committee referred to in this article. For the purposes of this article, and except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, "salaries" includes allowances, facilities and privileges and retiring benefits or awards." The Majority Chief Whip further wondered why parliament had become the only target of public concern, whiles the executive arm of government and the judiciary also fall within the same condition in keeping with Article 71. Source: Crusading Guide