Akufo-Addo stonewalled MPs push to be ‘ranked’ as Appeals Court judges

• MPs are currently pegged at level of High Court judges in terms of emoluments and other benefits

• The 7th Parliament approached the president to approve an elevation of their status to Appeals Court judge rank

• Ok, but not under my watch - literally - was president Akufo-Addo's response

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo maintained that moves by Members of Parliament to be elevated from the level of High Court judges to Appeals Court judges in terms of emoluments, will not happen under his watch.

Lawmakers in the last parliament (Led by Prof Aaron Mike Oquaye) wrote to the president on January 5, requesting that the president considers the elevation.

Their correspondence which touched on different aspects of the last Presidential Committee on Emolument’s recommendation under the heading: “Equating Members of Parliament to High Court Justices,” read:

“The House observed that the Presidential Committee on Emoluments for Article 71 Office Holders ranks Hon. Members on the same scale as Justices of the High Court in terms of emoluments.”

The letter continued to point out that Members had also observed that the committee ranked some other senior-level public sector officials at the level of Appeals Court judges mentioning specifically: the administrator of Dictrict Assemblies’ Common Fund, Electoral Commission chair, CHRAJ and NCCE heads.

The correspondence continued: “Parliament has decided that members of parliament be placed on a level analogous to that of the above mentioned heads in respect of emoluments, benefits and other amenities.

“This request is premised on the fact that the eligibility criteria for persons appointed to these positions are the same eligibility criteria set for persons elected into office as Members of Parliament,” it stressed.

In reponse, the presidency's letter of January 5 said: “I appreciate the principle espoused in equating Members of Parliament to Justices of the Court of Appeal and recommend that the next Presidential Committee on Emoluments for Article 71 Office Holders considers this issue in greater detail as a matter of urgency in order to make the appropriate recommendations.”

The revelations in the letter were shared publicly for the first time on Good Evening Ghana program by host Paul Adom-Otchere on Tuesday, July 13, 2021.

The recommendations of the emoluments committee has become a topical issue particularly where it recommended the formalization of payments to wives of the president and his vice.

The current First and Second Ladies have since turned down any further payments in that respect with the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, having issued a cheque to refund all payments between 2017 till date. Samira Bawumia has also said she will do same.