Nduom drops big earnings for ministerial office

Dr Kwesi Nduom, ministerial nominee for Economic Planning and Regional Integration told the Appointments Committee on Friday he considers his nomination as a sacrificial job one has to render to his nation not necessarily for pecuniary reward.

He said he earns over one thousand seven hundred dollars a day from the African Development Bank (ADB) and receives about 20,000 dollars a month as an economic and management consultant. He will earn about 300 dollars a month when he becomes a minister of state.

Dr Nduom said he will be at home with it because it is not always that one's contribution has to be measured in earnings.

"It is a hard decision. It is sacrificial at one stage of ones life", he said. Dr Nduom who was making his second and final appearance before the Committee to complete the statutory screening by parliament said he felt honoured as a Ghanaian to be paid in hard currency for services he rendered to the State Enterprises Commission (SEC).

The minister designate's assessment was suspended a week ago (last Friday) to enable members to dig into the genesis of an investigation conducted on him by the Serious Fraud Office, (SFO) sequel to reports received by the committee on his consultancy job at the SEC.

Answering questions at the Committee sitting, the minister designate refuted allegations that he has ever been an employee of the State Enterprises Commission (SEC) but said he had been a consultant to it.

He said he was offered the contract because his charges were lower than those of other competitors, which included the Price Water House.

Expressing happiness at the quality of services he offered which changed the image of some state owned corporations to companies, Dr Nduom said, "if some of the State Owned Enterprises (SOE) are making profits today then I take the satisfaction that I did a good a job".

The nominee said he has decided to relinquish his 20,000-dollar monthly job in the US for a ministerial position because he wants to make a sacrifice to his country.

"It is very difficult. I have discussed it with my family and we have agreed that I should sacrifice. It is my national service for the greater benefit of our country."

Asked if he paid taxes on his earnings on the SEC job, Dr Nduom said he was offered a contract that had a tax free provision, adding that he saw nothing wrong with such an offer coming from the government of Ghana to a Ghanaian.

He said though he took the job as a Ghanaian he was resident in the United States where he was a partner in a firm and was obliged by the rules of his partnership to remit his earnings to the US.

On his roles as an Assemblyman for Akotobinsin, Dr Nduom said he has tried to build the faith of the people in the process of governance.

"I have put up a Home Science Centre for a JSS school and have built a Public Bath House and I pay fees for anybody from my area who qualifies for the university but cannot afford. I am also building a Day Care Centre for the people.

He said as a minister he would draw up a plan to monitor the achievements and failures of Vision 2020 and ensure that a plan is crafted to provide funding to attain the goals set in it.

Dr Nduom said he would promote the free movement of people, goods and services in the sub region to encourage regional integration.

He said although he belongs to the Convention People's Party (CPP) once he is appointed in the NPP government he will have to implement the ruling party's manifesto.