Review conditions of service for CEOs of State Institutions – Governance Expert

Looking at Ghana’s current economic situation and its future, Governance Expert, William Amofa, has called for reconsideration in salaries and allowances to Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Heads of State Institutions.

Although salaries and emoluments of these CEOs are stipulated in the constitution, he argues the times “we live in now” calls for a review of their salaries.

“At this point, we need to look at our economic situation, where Ghana is now and where we want to get to. With this in mind and our current economic situation, we can review the terms of conditions of these CEOs and make some amendments,” he stated.

Reacting to information about the CEO of COCOBOD being paid more than the President, he told Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show, “We can’t talk about the CEO of COCOBOD taking more than the President because he (President) didn’t set the law. The law was set under the PNDC and it has the service of conditions attached.”

“The discussion on the salaries of CEOs of State Institutions has several branches and depth. Using the COCOBOD as an example, it was established as a statutory public institution to regulate the cocoa industry in Ghana. It was established under the PNDC act and it spells out the terms and conditions of service. The conditions of service deals with the person’s level of education and others but we’ve mixed it up with politics,” he stated.

According to him, there are some Chief Directors at the ministries who have been in office for years with their conditions of service being silent. “This is backed by law and even no President can change them. The Ministers will come and leave but the Chief Directors will be there for a long and hold down the fort because of such laws. We can hear a Chief Director has misappropriated funds but they can’t be prosecuted because of the laws which put them there.”

Mr. Amofa called for a constitutional review, hence the revision of the terms and conditions of service of such CEOs.

There have been calls for President Akufo-Addo to order the publication of salaries, conditions of service and allowances of Chief Executives, their deputies and Board Members of State institutions if he is committed to the fight against corruption.

This call comes on the back of revelations some CEOs take home as much as Ghc75,000, 3 times the salary of the President. This is excluding their allowances and other perks.