We can’t pay assembly members under the current system – Expert

A local governance expert, Amon Kotei, says the call for assembly members to be paid is not something we should pursue.

Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, he stated that ”we can pay the assembly members as some are suggesting, but the fact is that on what basis are going to pay them?”

The expert speaking to the host, Kwabena Agyapong, stated that working as an assembly member is a voluntary position that any professional could run for.

"The concept of our assembly that we practise in Ghana is not permanent. It is entirely voluntary. Some of you may be teachers and can still be members of the assembly. Because the assembly meetings are only held six times a year, you can be a member if you are a civil servant. The rest are committee meetings.

But if we want to pay them on a monthly basis, you can’t work at the Ministry of Health as a laboratory technician or a doctor and also be an assembly member. That is my argument.”

"We need to streamline our system before we can think about paying the assembly members,” he added.

He lamented that the central government’s failure to include the people in the governance process has made it difficult for the people to be participatory, patriotic, and committed to the country’s management.

He stated that bringing development to the people’s doorsteps must be more than just talk, but must also be practical.

He went on to say that the process used to carry out the special initiative projects, which excluded various assemblies, was not ideal.

Another challenge he has observed under the Nana Addo-led administration is the reduction in Common Fund allocation from 7.5% under the Mahama administration to 5%, which he considers unconstitutional.

He claimed that even with the 5%, the government owes arrears to the assemblies totaling more than 7 billion Ghana cedis.

He went on to say that the government’s decision to politicize the local government system but failure to do so has caused it to abandon the various assemblies and deprive them of necessary resources.