The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday inaugurated a five-member Emoluments Committee to look into the salaries and allowances of all Article 71 office holders in consonance with the provisions of the 1992 Constitution.
The five-member committee is chaired by Professor Yaa Ntiamoah Baidoo. He is a celebrated Scientist and Marine Conservationist and a former Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Ghana (UG), Legon, who is also the Board Chair of the Millennium Development Authority.
Other members include former Majority Leader and Minister of Parliament and one-time Member of Parliament for Tema West, Abraham Osei-Aidoo; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), Dr. Edward Kwapong; Chartered Accountant and Technical Advisor of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Dr. Eric Oduro Osae; and former Managing Director (MD) for Donewell Insurance, Stella Segbawe.
The composition of the committee was done on the advice of the Council of State with their terms of reference in two-fold: to make recommendations in respect of emoluments and other privileges for Article 71 office holders as specified by the Constitution and to examine any other relevant matter which the committee deems appropriate to its work.
Considering the fact that almost past presidents have had cause to establish such a committee, President Akufo-Addo thinks it may be worthwhile for Ghana as a country to consider the practice of other jurisdictions like that of the United States of America where the principles are established and automatically adjusted according to certain objective criteria.
He, therefore, stressed the need for further debate on the issue to define the parameters that would define adjustments of these emoluments, going forward.
That notwithstanding, he stressed the need for members of the committee to bring to the table the work of previous emoluments committees such as those led by Miranda Greenstreet, Chinery Hesse, Ishmael Yamson, Marian Arama Ardey and Francisca Edua-Buandoh in the conduct of their work to be able to establish consistency.
“It is my expectation that you will be up to it and deliver your report expeditiously,” he told members of the committee.
The chairperson, Professor Yaa Ntiamoah Baidoo, thanked the president for the opportunity given them to serve the country.
“A decent remuneration contributes to motivation . . .” she said.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent