NDC MPs dragged to court over double salaries
Parliament reconvenes for first sitting of second session
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has blamed the incidence of Members of Parliament receiving double salaries as a weakness of the system.
The former Nadowli Kaleo lawmaker stressed that he was ready to work with all relevant stakeholders to right that anomaly and erase the negative perception created by the double salary brouhaha.
The topic was one of the main issues he raised on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, when the House resumed sitting from recess.
Stressing that MPs do not get overpaid on purpose, Bagbin said: “It is important for us to erase the perception of the public on these matters of an overpayment which is politically called double salaries.
“It is a weakness in the system, all the committees have commented on the matter. That’s the experience from 1993 till date, and it has led to these unfortunate overpayments due to the weakness of the system,” Bagbin stressed.
NDC MPs facing double salary suit
In late April 2022, the Supreme Court granted permission for a writ to be served on nine appointees of ex-President John Dramani Mahama via substituted service for a case filed against them alleging that they took double salaries when they were working as MPs and ministers.
The suit was filed last year by the Bono East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, a.k.a Abronya DC, seeking for the Court to get the appointees of Mahama who took double salaries to refund the monies to the state after the proper interpretation of Article 98 of the 1992 Constitution.
Article 98 bars MPs from holding profiting positions without the authorization of the Speaker of Parliament.
The appointees to be served the writ includes Haruna Iddrisu, Alhassan Azong, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, Eric Opoku, Abdul Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, Mark Owen Woyongo, Comfort Doyoe Ghanasah, and Aquinas Tawiah Quansah.
The Court granted the permission to serve the writ via substituted service because the Lawyer for Abronya DC, Seth Gyapong Oware, explained that it was impossible to serve the former Mahama appointees with the writ invoking the original jurisdiction of the Court and the applicant’s Statement of Claims in person.
In 2018, some 25 MPs on the Minority side were accused of taking double pay and asked to report to the police for interrogation.
Bagbin wants expedited resolution of double salary issue
But according to Bagbin: “MPs don’t intentionally go round taking a double salary. We need to put this to rest in order to position ourselves to be able to do our work”, he said.
“I intend with the help of the Parliamentary Service Board to do this with dispatch.
The leadership of the house, the Parliamentary Service Board, and the Speaker will continue to widen the scope of the already cordial relationship between the judiciary and the legislature and the government to work in harmony for the betterment of the lives of Ghanaians,” he stressed.
Alban Bagbin