By Felix Cofie
The Flagbearer of the Progressive Alliance for Ghana (PAG), Dr John Enyonam Kpikpi, has called for a fundamental review of the salaries, allowances and privileges of Members of Parliament (MPs), arguing that political office should be driven by public service rather than personal enrichment.
Dr Kpikpi said Ghana must begin a broader national conversation about the remuneration and conditions of service of MPs, particularly amid concerns that the financial benefits associated with political office could encourage some people to enter politics for personal gain rather than a commitment to serving the country.
He argued that there was nothing inherently wrong with paying MPs for their work, but said their remuneration should be modest and broadly comparable with that of other professionals serving the public.
“The motivation for going into politics must not be ‘to become rich quickly’, but rather to serve your country like everyone else is serving in the hospitals, classrooms and the civil service,” he said.
According to Dr Kpikpi, MPs should be adequately compensated for their work because workers deserve to be paid for their labour. However, he believes parliamentary remuneration should not make political office disproportionately financially attractive.
“I think the salaries of MPs should be pitched somewhere between a teacher’s salary and a medical doctor’s salary. All conditions of service and privileges should not be any different from those of teachers and doctors,” he said.
Political office and personal enrichment
The PAG leader argued that reducing the financial incentives associated with parliamentary office could help change the motivation of people seeking political positions.
He said the system should discourage individuals from viewing politics primarily as a route to wealth accumulation.
“This will clean out those entering the role for their own gain and leave only those choosing the work because they care about Ghana,” he said.
Dr Kpikpi also linked the issue of parliamentary remuneration to the high cost of political campaigns.
He argued that some political aspirants may be tempted to borrow heavily to finance election campaigns, with the expectation that they would recover those investments after gaining political office.
In his view, reforming the financial incentives surrounding political office could reduce that pressure.
Make productive sectors more attractive
Dr Kpikpi said Ghana’s broader economic structure should also be re-examined to ensure that productive economic activity provides attractive financial opportunities for young people.
He argued that the country should create conditions under which entrepreneurship and productive sectors such as agriculture become more financially rewarding than seeking political office.
“If the goal is better financial prospects, we must make it more attractive for a young graduate to become a farmer growing rice or rearing chickens than aiming to become an MP,” he said.
The PAG flagbearer believes that aligning political office more closely with the principles of public service could contribute to restoring public confidence in Ghana’s political institutions.
He said the ultimate objective should be to attract people into political leadership because of their commitment to Ghana’s development rather than the financial benefits attached to public office.
