Former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, says there is no such thing as ex-gratia in the constitution of Ghana.
According to him, what is often referred to as ex-gratia by the general public is the retirement benefits Members of Parliament and other Article 71 officeholders are entitled to after serving their term of office.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, he argued that calls for the scrapping of the retirement benefits of Article 71 officeholders are misplaced due to the fact that MPs and other Article 71 officeholders are contract workers and as such must receive their retirement benefits at the end of their tenure.
“There’s no ex-gratia, there’s nothing like ex-gratia. Ex-gratia is a lexicon taken from the ordinary people and put on the payments to Members of Parliament. There’s no ex-gratia in the constitution. The constitution says they should pay you retirement benefits.
He noted that the retirement benefit should not be confused with the Pension scheme Members of Parliament contribute to.
He explained that while the Pension scheme works on intergenerational equity, the retirement benefit is calculated on the basis of one’s salary.
The practice he says is common across the world.
“No because you’re a contract worker. You’re working for four years and at the end of the four years you’re gone. So your retirement benefits will be calculated on the basis of your salary.
“This is not the case, the principle is quite different. With the greatest respect, it’s all over the world. In fact in Britain it’s called gratuity. Even the court in Apasera called it gratuity.
“Gratuity means you’re working, you’re being paid salary and when your contract ends they pay you a percentage of your salary as gratuity,” he explained.
He, however, admitted that said gratuity only benefits public workers at the elite class of government.
“I agree there some kind of conspiracy and that is what is evoking the anger of the people that you can’t bring together a class of people and treat them differently. So when his Excellency John Mahama was in power, I remember this matter came out very seriously, very prominently, and he thought that committee [Presidential Emoluments Committee] should be a standing committee.
“And it should not be at the instance of a sitting President. And any time there’s a new parliament, you don’t need to change the members unless you replace some who are dead or who cannot perform then they take decisions,” he said.
Latest Stories
-
UKGCC to tour Golden Exotics on May 2, 2024 as part of World Press Freedom Day
3 mins -
EC sets May 7 to 27 for voters’ register update
18 mins -
Lekzy Decomic, Clemento Suarez, OB Amponsah, others honoured at Ghana Comedy Awards
32 mins -
Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction overturned
45 mins -
Late government payments crippling SSNIT – ILO
50 mins -
Experts to shape more equitable digital future at DRIF 24
54 mins -
Bright Simons: Ghana’s billion-dollar ‘Timber Merchant’ deal to protect taxes
1 hour -
Ashanti Regional Minister defends arrest of ECG boss, rejects calls for apology
1 hour -
Cash Waterfall Mechanism report shows significant non-compliance with formula for revenue allocation – Report
1 hour -
Prison officer injured in clash with soldiers in Bawku
2 hours -
SSNIT reserves projected to hit zero in 12 years – ILO
2 hours -
Prestigious Nigerian school closed over bullying reports
2 hours -
Funny Face failed to perform at my show after taking money – Parrot Mouth
2 hours -
CAFCC: Sports Minister to offer Dreams FC a ‘surprise’ package before Zamalek clash
2 hours -
CAF awards 3-0 win to RS Berkane, after Algerian customs confiscated their kits
2 hours