By Bright Ntramah
President Akufo-Addo has called on the reconstituted Emoluments Committee to take into consideration concerns raised by a section of Ghanaians on whether or not Article 71 office holders deserve the benefits given to them as stipulated by the 1992 Constitution.
Speaking at the inauguration of a five-member Committee at the Jubilee House, the President tasked them to consider the prevailing economic circumstances in coming out with its recommendations.
The Inauguration of the 5-Member Emoluments Committee is in line with the Constitution that mandates the President to set up a Committee to make recommendations to the President and Parliament for their decision on salaries and allowance payments and the facilities and privileges available to Article 71 office holders. The composition is done on advice of the Council of State.
The Terms of Reference is to make recommendations in respect of other privileges for article 71 public holders, and to examine any other relevant matter that the committee deemed appropriate to its work. President Akufo-Addo tasked them to do a critical review of the work of previous emolument committees constituted by previous presidents. He advised them to look at best practices that exist in other jurisdictions on emolument of public office holders and make recommendations for the adoption of some best practices from those jurisdictions.
Chairperson of the Committee, Dr. Janet Fofie, in her response, said the Committee will review all the previous work done by their predecessors in order to produce a comprehensive and appropriate report to the President.
The other members of the Committee are Professor Gyan Baffour, Former Minister For Planning, and Gloria Ofori Buodu, a Lawyer and Women’s Rights Activist. The rest are Dr. Osei-Akoto, distinguished academic at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) University of Ghana and Mr Ben Arthur, the Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.