The Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative, Linda Ofori-Kwafo, has opposed attempts to force some former first and second ladies to refund allowances paid them while their spouses were in office.
Parliament in June 2021 approved the Ntiamoah-Baidoo Emoluments Committee’s recommendation to formalise the payment of allowances to spouses of the president and his vice.
The committee had recommended that the First Lady be paid a salary equivalent to a Cabinet Minister who is a Member of Parliament (MP) while her husband is in office and the Payment of a salary equivalent to 80% of the salary of a Minister of State who is a Member of Parliament (MP) if the spouse served one full term as President or 100% of the salary of a Minister of State who is a Member of Parliament (MP) if the spouse served two or more full terms as President.
The committee further suggested that the Second Lady be paid a salary equivalent to a Cabinet Minister who is not an MP while her husband is in office and the Payment of a salary equivalent to 80% of the salary of a Minister of State who is not a Member of Parliament (MP) if the spouse served one full term as President or 100% of the salary of a Minister of State who is a Member of Parliament (MP) if the spouse served two or more full terms as Vice President.
However, the past few days have been rife with concerns by the general public over the implementation, with many questioning the capacity in which such an allocation would be made to the said spouses.
Subsequently, both Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Samira Bawumia have rejected the proposal, promising to refund to the state all allowances paid them from January 2017.
This has sparked public calls for the wives of the President and the Vice President to do the same. But Madam Ofori-Kwafo says they should not be forced.
“It is a personal decision they have taken to return the money. Once there is no law demanding that they refund the money, it is a personal decision”, she told Joy News.
She further stressed, “the rest who have not returned the money, it’s a personal decision, and they shouldn’t really force them to return it”.
Latest Stories
-
Fitch affirms ETI at B-; Outlook stable
30 mins -
Bawumia meets Pope Francis
38 mins -
Former Bibiani GoldStars midfielder Frank Adjei Jr continues fine form in Swedish League
43 mins -
J.B. Dankwah Adu’s Murder: Court orders Sexy Dondon to open his defence
45 mins -
Marrakech 2024: Five para-athletes to represent Ghana in WPA Grand Prix in Morocco
57 mins -
U.S Senate approves bill to ban TikTok
1 hour -
T-Pain involved in hit-and-run, warns culprit he’ll find them
1 hour -
Cedi hits GH¢14.00 to a dollar; depreciates 12.08%
1 hour -
Major portions of Kasoa-Winneba road to open to traffic in 8 months
1 hour -
Kwadaso onion traders reject new location, express fear over future eviction
2 hours -
Pensions: 81% of pensioners had benefit shortfalls in 2020 – Abdallah Mashud
2 hours -
All Regional Games: Torch relay ceremony hits Oti Region
2 hours -
CSO calls for immediate removal of COCOBOD CEO from office
2 hours -
How a young female geologist’s thesis is paving the way for Ghana’s Green Mineral Future 5 decades later
2 hours -
Pensions: The last time government paid Tier-2 funds was in June 2023 – Angel Carbonu
2 hours