Public Board Members Asked to Forgo Allowances

Alhaji Asumah Banda, Chief Executive of the Tema Container Terminal (TCT) on Friday suggested that members of the board of directors of public institutions and companies should forgo their sitting allowances for the benefit of the nation.

He said, at this period of Ghana adopting the HIPC initiative, it should be the concern of all Ghanaians to make "our contributions, however, small to help the country get out of this unfortunate situation".

Alhaji Banda who is a board member of Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) made the suggestion during the presentation of a 10 billion cedi cheque, being dividend from the authority to the government, which was received by Mr. Felix Owusu-Agyapong, Minister of Transport and Communication and his Deputy Mr. Kwaku Agyeman-Monu in Tema.

He said it was necessary at this time for any self-employed person appointed to a board not to take his or her sitting allowance and government officials serving on boards should also not be paid any such allowance.Alhaji Banda explained that in the case of government employees serving on boards, attending meetings should be considered part of their work schedule for which no special remuneration should be given.

On the other hand, he said self- employed membersserving on board should not see their membership as employment.

It should be considered as going to help the institutions or companies to make progress in taking important decisions.

Alhaji Banda said serving on a board was like running an independent organisation where one was expected to make a lot of sacrifices before the organisation could stand on its feet, adding, "I have never taken any allowance since I started sitting on board because I consider it a national duty".

Mr. Owusu Agyapong in a casual remark said this issue could not have any government legislation. "It is an individual's own wish either to take or not".

Mr. Ben Owusu-Mensah, acting Director General of GPHA and Mr. Brain Adomako, Board Chairman were present.