Why are salaries of MPs, Ministers determined at the end of their term? – Randy Abbey

Ghana is the only country where MP’s, Minister’s salaries are determined at the end of their term – Abbey

Determination of salaries of MPs and Ministers have been unnecessarily complicated – Abbey

Ex-gratia is our salaries being paid to us - Sam George defends

Host of the Good Morning Ghana show on Metro TV, Dr Randy Abbey, has bemoaned the failure of successive governments to determine the salaries of Members of Parliaments (MPs) and Ministers of State at the start of their term.

According to Dr Abbey, every government Ghana has had in the 4th Republic sets up an emolument committee in the middle of its term and this committee determines the salaries of MPs and Ministers at the end of their four-year term.

Speaking on his show, monitored by GhanaWeb, the broadcaster said that in all well-meaning countries government officials know their benefits even before they get their jobs.

He suggested that this action of the government fuels assertions in the public that the Executive Branch of the government and the Legislature connive to “create, loot and share” the country’s resources.

“… I’m yet to see any jurisdiction in the civilised world, where people work for four years before they get to know their conditions of service, their compensation. I’m yet to come to terms with this, in this civilised world.

“I don’t know which countries Parliament or Executive or Judiciary does not know how much they are entitled to and it is a determination that is made at the tail end of their term. I don’t know where this is done apart from Ghana,” he said.

Dr Abbey made these comments after Ningo-Prampram Member of Parliament Sam Nartey George had said that 70 percent of the ex-gratia given to MPs is a difference owed them by the government because their salaries were not determined when their term began.

Sam George said that currently, the salaries of MPs in the 8th Parliament of Ghana have not been determined yet, which means that when a new salary is set, the difference in the amount due them will be added to their retirement benefit (ex-gratia).

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