Exposed: Huge pay rise at castle

Credible documents in possession of The New Crusading Guide have cast a slur on the approved salaries and emoluments for the Executive arm of government which

President John Dramani Mahama last month asked Parliament to review. The President in October asked Parliament to review the Professor Ewurama Committee which pegged his monthly salary at Ghc120,000.00 while his Vice will take home Ghc10,500.00.

However, according to the documents which were signed by the Finance Minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffor, Political Appointees who worked at the Presidency were to enjoy a 20% per rise starting from January, 2012.

The letter dated 30th May, 2012 and sent to the Controller and Accountable-General’s Department was under the heading, SALARY INCREASE FOR POLITICAL APPOINTEES IN THE PRESIDENCY.

“Approval is, hereby, given for the attached salary levels marked ‘Appendix A’ which incorporates a twenty per cent (20%) salary increase, to be used to effect the payment of salaries of the Political Appointees in the Presidency.

The effective date of implementation is 1st January, 2012. The new salary levels and the associated arrears are to be paid in June, 2012,” wrote Dr. Duffuor.

It has been the convention that appointees who worked at the Presidency were paid the same salary as Deputy Ministers of State. Per that letter, it has become clear that most of the Castle gurus were paid better than even Cabinet Ministers.

According to the details of the new approved salaries, Dr Tony Aidoo, a Senior Presidential Staffer whose salary level was Ghc 5,766.00.00 Stanislaw Xeoese Dogbe, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, and Ludwig A. Hlodze all moved from Ghc5, 305.00.00 to Ghc6, 366.00.00.

The Chief of Staff, John H.M Newman, Dr. Cadman Dufu Atta Mills and James Bebaako-Mensah also moved up from Ghc5, 996.00 to Ghc7, 195.20.

What is however not clear is whether the Castle officials would be affected by the Prof. Ewurama Addy Committee Report.

Meanwhile, this paper can confidently report that some Deputy Ministers of Information and Finance have been credited with a whopping amount of Ghc32, 366.00 as their net salary for October.

Some Cabinet Ministers were also paid Ghc36, 000.00 in October, giving indications that they were enjoying their salary arrears which took effect from January 2009.