Salaries of Article 71 officer holders should be determined by fair wages commission – Inusah Fusseini

Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, says it is unfair for two parallel committees to determine the salaries of article 71 office holders and other public officers.

“You cannot set up two parallel systems to determine the salaries of public officers. We have the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission determining the salaries of all other public officers, and we have a particular committee set up by the resident to determine the salaries of article 71 officer holders,” he pointed out.

Sharing insights on how this can be reconciled, he called for the establishment of a standing committee under article 71 so the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission can determine their salaries.

“The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission can now determine the salary of article 71 holders as a committee and also determine the salaries of other public officers as an authority with the mandate to do so,” he told Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show.

He alternatively suggested the setting up of an independent Presidential Committee on Emoluments. This will be set up and treated as permanent in nature and will always determine salaries of article 71 office holders so that there will always be continuity and experience.

The politician argues this system will deal with the conspiracy theory of article 71 officer holders using the constitution to fill their pockets.

Article 71 officeholders include the President, the Vice-President, the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice, and the Justices of the Supreme Court.

The rest are Members of Parliament (MPs), Ministers of State, political appointees, and public servants with salaries charged to the Consolidated Fund but enjoying special constitutional privileges.

Article 71 (1) and (2) of the 1992 Constitution stipulates that the determination of the salaries and allowances of the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary paid from the Consolidated Fund would be determined by the President, on the recommendations of a committee of not more than five persons appointed by him and acting upon the advice of the Council of State.

In determining the salaries of the President, his Ministers, and political appointees, as well as the members of the Council of State, the Constitution states that Parliament will determine that based on the advice of the same committee.