Assembly members call for amendment of Constitution to earn remuneration

The Ghana Association of Elected Assembly Members is seeking a constitutional amendment for the welfare of all elected assembly members.

Members argue the role of an assembly member is as crucial as that of a parliamentarian.

Addressing a press conference in Damongo, the Vice Chairman of the Association in the Savannah Region, Sumani Thompson Abu, defused the impression that the association has a political connotation.

He noted assembly members are the pivot of participatory democracy at the grassroots level.

He called for the amendment of the constitution to consider remuneration of assembly members through the Consolidated Fund.

“Our work is tedious and demanding because we live with the people every day but we are not paid like the MPs hence the need for the Constitution to be amended.”

He added the group welcomes the idea of any political party whose policy will consider remunerating assembly members.

“As an association which is not political, we can only welcome the decision of any political party that shares in our demands to ensure we are remunerated.”

For his part, the Municipal Chief Executive for West Gonja Municipality, Saeed Muhazu Jibril, assured the association of the support of metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) in the Savannah Region towards the growth of the association.

He, however, cautioned them to stay away from party politics.

Meanwhile, a group calling itself Concerned Assembly Members Association of Ghana has welcomed the decision by the flagbearer for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, to pay assembly members if elected on December 7.

At a joint press conference in Tamale, the group is optimistic they can do more if they are remunerated.