Sarpong, Justice
We the Electorates have had it with our prima donna Politicians we are going to embark on a dharna at the castle and Parliament house until these hallucinating Politicians come out of their stupor of power drunkness and realise how they are suffocating Ghanaians to death with their narcisstic demands. Let it sink into the heads of these Parliamentarians that, we will not accept an increase of a penny more to their 2,700 cedis a month salary. If they think they can do better outside Parliament, they should resign and go out out get those jobs paying 7,000 cedis a month, that is their prerogative
Since this news came out about pay increase demand, the only Politician that has shown maturity is the Shai Osu Doku MP, Hon David Tetteh Assuming, all the other loudmouths and the goody-goody two shoes have been quiet because they are not as caring as they flummox us to believe all the time when it comes to looting the coffers of our country to satisfy their insatiable demands.
Where is Ofori Appiah, the Apostle of 'truthfulness'?
Where is Agyapong, the so called billionaire who tools around town in a 250,000 dollars Bentley? What does he need a pittance 7,000 cedis for?
Where is Samia Nkrumah, the so called Che Gueverra of Ghana politics?
The only time Ghanaians witness coperation amongst our Parliamentarians and is when they are determining benefits for themselves. At those times, the colors of the Elephant(NPP) and that of the Umbrella(NDC) are tucked in the closet and the flag of unity, the white flag becomes the color of Parliament. Reading what one Parliamentarina said to back their demand for pay increase, one realises that, these Politicians are out of touch to reality and only care about themselves. Can you believe a Parliamentarian in Ghana can say this?
“If we factor in everything perhaps we may even come to a determination that maybe a DCE perhaps earns more than an MP nobody questions it. Because in this country a DCE, a minister has two vehicles- a 4*4, a saloon, these are bought by the state they are serviced at the expense of the state; they are maintained at the expense of the state; they are fueled at the expense of the state; they are chauffeured at the expense of the state.”
NOW THAT YOU FOOLS ARE TELLING US THIS AND SOME PEOPLE CAN'T EVEN AFFORD A TRO-TRO FARE TO THEIR PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT, EXPECT MORE DEMANDS FROM FOOT SOLDIERS FROM BOTH PARTIES. This is really insane. We treat these people like monarchs, no wonder our country lacks development. Even rich countries like USA, BRITAIN, Germany, China, Japan , Sweden, Holland and others do not give these kinds of pecks to their Politicians and we always beg them for handouts just to turn around and give it to these thiefs instead of using the money to benefit the masses.
Now I implore the NDC foot soldiers to go after these DCE's and the Parliamentarians and retrieve the saloon cars from each DCE. We can sell these cars and at least use the money to buy insurance coverage for at least hundred people in each district. 'Our eyes are red, we no go sit down for these Politicians to continue this licenced day time robbery.' Popular revolution against these thieves is very close.
The same MP went on to say this;
"We should be clear in our mind where we want to take our Parliament. Lets not forget about what somebody has said that if you pay pea nuts you get monkeys,"
WE ALREADY HAVE MONKEYS EATING FREE BANANAS AND WE ARE ABOUT TO RETRIEVE THE PEANUT YOU ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT. GO AND TELL A TEACHER EARNING 250 CEDIS A MONTH THAT 2,700 CEDIS A MONTH, FREE HOUSEING, FREE PETROL, HEALTH CARE, SECURITY AND PER DIEM EVEN WHEN YOU ARE VISITING YOUR CONSTITUENCY IS A PEANUT FOR A PART-TIME JOB, ABOUT FOUR MONTHS A YEAR IS ALL PARLIAMENT WORKS.
Fellow citizens, whether you are an NDC, NPP, CPP or any other Party supporter, lets calm down now and assess how our Politicians, those in power now and in the opposition are stealing the country to 'bankruptcy without batting an eye doing it.
In this short article geared mainly towards our Parliamentarians corrupt atitude, some people are going to be shocked about how some Parliamentarians are using their positions to rob the country with the backing of the constitution. This article will address three areas of corruption that our constitution has put its stamp of approval to.
1. What is the meaning of end of service benefits? According to our thieving Parliamentarians, end of service benefits which is about $50,000 to each of the 230 Parliamentarians are paid every four years at the end of the general elections. My layman's understanding of end of service benefits is when one retires from his job, but it means a whole different thing to our Parliamentarians.
Some of our Parliamentarians have been in Parliament since 1992 and that means they have collected this end of service benefits four times, 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008. One such Parliamentarian is Alba Bagbin who is involved in this recent brouhaha about collecting more than what he is entitled to. He is not alone, there are a lot of NPP and NDC members who have collected this booty four, three or two times. My fellow citizens, this is as bad as armed robbery only that these people in suits are doing it by passing laws that allow them to steal legitimately. How many workers receive end of service benefits four or five times in their lives?
2. Almost every Ghanaian living in Ghana, whether working for the government or a private company pays his or her own rent, electricity, water bill and transportation to work and back except our Politicians in the Judiciary, Executive and the legislature branch who are the top earners in our society in terms of salary and benefits and living rent free with electricity and water service with maid and garden boy service provided free of charge and paid by the hardworking hoi polloi who have a hard time making ends meet while our Politicians are still maintaining the colonial mentality of having their bills paid by the poor while they bank their fat checks.
Is it fair to ask a teacher earning about GHc200 a month to pay his own rent, electricity, water bill and transportation cost while a Parliamentarian earning about GHc3,000 a month is living rent free on this poor teachers taxes?
3.What is the meaning of ex-gratia? It is defined as a favor rather than as a matter of right so how can these Parliamentarians use ex-gratia as a collateral to secure $50,000 loans to buy cars? Can the Doctors, Nurses, teachers, civil servants at the Ministeries go to any Bank and access loans by telling the loan officer, I want to use my end of year bonus as a security when one is not guaranteed to receive one? But hold on people, the Parliamentarians have passed laws to make this favor as right and even know the amount they are going to receive.
People, don't get confused, this ex-gratia is not the same as retirement benefits because when these Parliamentarians retire from government service, they are going to receive their retirements. If one was a teacher before becoming a Parliamentarian, he or she will receive his retirement as a former teacher.
I am appealing to my brothers and sisters in Ghana, especially the workers, Professors, teachers, Pysicians, Nurses, Accountants, Engineers and the educated Professionals to educate others about how their representatives are using the law to steal and agitate for changes in the constitution to deny our Politicians these benefits which they do not deserve. Let's make it crystal clear to our Politicians that, we are tired of their stealing and will not take it anymore.
This is a serious issue and should be taken as such so I am providing my email for interested people to contact so that we can start a popular movement to get our Politicians to do the right thing by living on their salaries like any other Ghanaian.
Justice Sarpong
Houston, Texas
