President inaugurates emoluments committee

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday inaugurated a five-member Committee to determine the emoluments, facilities and privileges of ‘Article 71’ office holders.

Chaired by Professor Yaa Ntiamoah Baidoo, a scientist and marine conservatist, the Committee includes Abraham Osei Aidoo, a former Member of Parliament and Dr. Edward Kwarpong, Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.

The others are Dr. Eric Oduro Osae, Charted Accountant and UNDP Technical Advisor, and Mrs. Stella Segbawe, former Managing Director of Donewell Insurance.

At a short ceremony at the Jubilee House in Accra, President Akufo-Addo said the composition of the Committee was done with the advice of the Council of State as stipulated in the Constitution.

He said the members were “responsible Ghanaians who are eminently qualified to undertake this important function”.

Sanctioned by Article 71 of the Constitution, the committee would make recommendations of emoluments and other privileges for Article 71 office holders as specified in the Constitution and also to examine any other relevant matter which the committee deemed appropriate to its work.

The President emphasized the need to evaluate the statutes that gave a sitting President the exclusive right to determine the salaries and allowances payable to top public office holders.

As a result, every President is bound to establish a committee to determine the emolument of ‘Article 71 Office Holder’ in accordance with the Constitution.

He said even though Article 71 of the Constitution indicated that the salaries and allowances payable to top state officials ought to be determined by the President, it was worthwhile examining practices that pertained in other established jurisdictions.

“This may well be an issue of further Constitutional debate and decision,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo told the committee that it was crucial that work of previous committees such as the Greenstreet Committee, Chinnery Hesse, Ishmael Yamson, Ewurama Addy and Francisca Adu-Boadoh was brought to the table to establish consistencies.

He said the task ahead of them would be a challenging one, adding that it was his expectation that they would be up to it and deliver their report expeditiously.

Prof Baidoo thanked the President for the honour done them and the confidence reposed in them to carry out such national assignment.

She assured that the committee would work to offer to the President and Parliament the best of recommendations on the issue.