How Akufo-Addo rejected a pay raise for MPs in Oquaye’s parliament

• MPs in the seventh parliament wanted a pay raise but the president rejected it in a January 6, 2021 letter

• Akufo-Addo cited public interest as his reason for the rejection

• MPs were reacting, on January 5, to recommendations by a presdiential emoluments committee

The president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cited public interest when he skillfully rejected a request for pay raise by the seventh Parliament led by Speaker Prof Aaron Mike Oquaye.

According to an exchange between the legislature and Jubilee House between 5th and 6th of January, 2021; Parliament noted that the Prof Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu Presidential Emoluments Commitee had proposed a 10% annual increment on their salary based on the 2016 figure.

But it further pointed out that the average public sector percentage increment of salaries stood at 11.4%, even with that, they requested the executive to agree to a 12.5% increment – which is 1.1% more – a markup that parliament said: “is to account for the value of the money lost over time.”

The president responded on the 6th and raised issues of public interest and sitting out a potential controversy before advising that the status quo remains till the next emoluments committee properly constituted makes further recommendations.

The president’s letter read: “Much as I appreciate the reasons given for your request for 12.5% salary increment, I believe in the public interest, and to avoid controversy, we maintain the same rate of salary increment across the public sector.

“Accordingly, I recommend an 11.4% increase as has been granted public sector workers every year within the span of time,” it added.

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 have 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.