Parliament demands different salaries for old and new MPs

Ghana’s Parliament is demanding different salary structures for seasoned MPs in order to serve as motivation for excellence.

The current status quo where new MPs and seasoned or old colleagues earn the same salary is demotivating, leadership of Parliament argues.

Speaking at a Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs forum on nurturing career legislators in Ghana: Prospects and Challenges, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu wondered why someone like second deputy Speaker and Nadowli MP Alban Bagbin who has been a legislator for more than 27 years will earn the same salary as a new entrant.

The Suame MP blamed the current system of choosing political leaders which heavily depends on money for most of the troubles the country is in.

“If we don’t have career Members of Parliament, the Executive will become overbearing and dominate the political space. Indeed that is what the executive wants, every executive wants to deal with a very weak parliament.

“There should be concrete measures that we put in place to recognise longevity, for now MPs regardless of the number of terms that you have served, the current 2nd Deputy Speaker, a 7th term MP is on the same salary as a first time Member for Parliament and there is nothing to indicate that he has served parliament for seven terms, so we in the House should structure our affairs to recognise the efforts of long serving MPs.”

Speaking to Starr News, Chief Director for the ministry Dr. Aggrey Darko argued the challenges bedeviling the Ghana’s legislature threatens the country’s democracy if not addressed immediately.