Emulate her - Gyampo hails First Lady; calls on MPs to also reject, refund exgratia

Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana Prof. Ransford Gyampo has hailed the First Lady of Ghana for her display of what he describes as “politically fine Principles and Conscience that do not come cheap.”

The First Lady of the Republic of Ghana, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo has totally rejected all emoluments due her saying she fears it is becoming a distraction from the good works of her husband, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

According to the First lady, she cannot accept the emoluments approved for her by Parliament and also rejects all discussions that portrayed her as a self-centred, venal person regarding the emoluments.

She has thus decided to refund to the state all the monies paid her since 2017 which amounts to GHS899,097.84.

“The First Lady in consultation with the President of the Republic has decided to refund all the monies paid to her as allowances from the date of the President’s assumption of office, i.e., from January 2017 to date, amounting to GHS899,097.84.” a statement from her office said.

“The First Lady has also decided not to accept any monies that have been allocated to be paid to her pursuant to the recommendations of the Ntiamoa-Baidu committee, as approved by Parliament. She is doing this as a purely personal decision, without prejudice to the rights of others, and not to undermine the propriety of the process undertaken by Parliament.” the statement added.

Reacting to this, Gyampo indicated that he will not “say you have succumbed to the legitimately expressed venomous pressure against the recommendation to regularize your allowances into salary.”

He urged other politicians especially Members of Parliament who have over the years received “illegal ex-gratias paid them” to refund the money.

He believes that with this done, it will restore “credibility and legitimacy deficit within the Ghanaian body politic”.

His post read “Dear Mrs Akufo Addo, I won’t say you have succumbed to the legitimately expressed venomous pressure against the recommendation to regularize your allowances into salary. Rather, I will say, you have simply displayed some politically fine Principles and Conscience that do not come cheap. Well-done. Others must follow. Let MPs who have never been voted out of Parliament, also refund all illegal ex-gratias paid them as a way of helping to restore their credibility and legitimacy deficit within the Ghanaian body politic.”