Some Mahama appointees ‘secretly’ took back their 10% pay cut - Auditor General

It has emerged that some former government appointees pulled out of the 10 per cent salary cut initiative announced by former President John Mahama for the construction of CHPS compounds, and withdrew their contributions.

In 2013, Mr Mahama and his ministers announced a voluntary 10 per cent cut of their salaries support health care delivery, especially in rural areas through the building of CHPS compounds.

At the Public Accounts Committee on Wednesday, it emerged accruals from the initiative for the year 2015 and 2016 could not be accounted for per the Auditor General’s report.

As at the end of December 2015, a total of GHC 800,000 had accrued in 2014 and was subsequently released to the Presidency through the then Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah on request.

Deputy Controller and Accountant General, Kwasi Owusu, told the Committee that the money was being held in trust for the then government but they requested for it.

Former Deputy Communications Minister, Mr Kwakye Ofosu said any claim that monies realized from the 10 per cent pay cut cannot be traced is misleading and inaccurate.

He said as at December 2016, a total of GHC 2,190,718.30 had been deducted, but said GHC 2,130,718.30 was paid to contractors who had either completed or were working on the CHPS compounds.



Some appointees took back their contributions

Meanwhile, it has emerged at the Public Accounts Committee sitting that some former government appointees at a point resolved to opt out of the initiative without public announcement of same.

According to the Auditor General, an order from the then Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, instructed the Controller and Accountant General to cease deductions from the salaries of those former appointees and their monies refunded.

Those appointees were said to have later withdrew their contributions. Deputy Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Edward Kaale-Ewola Dery, who is an NDC MP for Lambussie Karni told Onua FM he was unaware that some former ministers opted out of the initiative and took back their contributions.



He said he would not be surprised if that happened, indicating that the initiate was voluntary, hence those individuals had the right to pull out from it at any point in time though the intended purpose of the cut was genuine.

However, Nhiyeaso MP, Kennedy Kankam Kwasi expressed surprise at the development, especially so when some contractors of the CHPS compounds have not been paid yet.

He said but for that fact that the NDC lost power in the December 2016 elections, Ghanaians wouldn’t have about these developments regarding the 10 per cent salary cut of former government appointees.