Paying presidential spouses ‘criminal!’; ‘what kind of nonsense is this?’ Abraham Koomson
It is “criminal” and nonsensical to wives of President Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice-president Mahamudu Bawumia, Mr Abraham Koomson, General Secretary of the Ghana Federation of Labour has told Ewura Adams Karim on Class91.3FM’s ‘Talk of the Nation’ on Monday, 12 June 2021. “I can’t understand”, he fumed, adding that for a president who promised not to increase his salary as well as those of his ministers during this year’s May Day celebration, “if you are going to pay your wife, what kind of dishonesty is this?” “Everybody is annoyed”, he said to a question about how the labour front is taking the news that the two presidential spouses are to be paid cabinet-level salaries which are to be backdated to 2017. “The workers are even attacking us; they are even insulting us that we go to agree on six per cent, four per cent [pay rise] without considering their plight then we sit down, we fold our arms for the presidency to allocate – as if all these monies – and the annoying thing is that they are going to pay them ‘back-pay’ since 2017”, an angry Mr Koomson noted. “It is criminal”, he insisted. “If you think of it, you may not believe that you’re even alive. I think it’s even a dream”. He said “workers are agitated” about it but there are some groups whose “executives are compromised and even if you push them to talk, they’ll say: ‘Oh, this is political. Nonsense. Political. But what work are we doing?” “What is the mission of the trade unions? Our relevance has been eroded and very soon workers will decide not to join any union at all. It will happen”, he predicted. In his view, “the youth must wake up and ask their leaders questions”. “Are you happy with what is happening? I’ll continue to talk. What kind of nonsense is this?” —Classfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
MTN Ghana Launches Twin City Festival, Promises To Excite Customers With Myraid Of Activities
MTN Ghana has launched the 2021 edition of its month long Twincity festival celebration in the Western region. The celebration is aimed at engaging customers with exciting activities during the month. This year’s Twincity festival also forms part of activities lined up to celebrate MTN’s 25th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of Twincity Fest in the Western region. At the launch was the Mayor for Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, Mr. Abdul Mumin-Issah and other stakeholders. Speaking at the launch, the Regional Senior Manager for Southwest Business District, Mr. Prince Owusu Nyarko, thanked all stakeholders for their loyalty to the brand for the past 25years and promised an exciting future together. He said, “as part of activities marking this year’s celebration there will be a lot of exciting activities to thank customers for their commitment to the brand. The highlight of this festival will be the much-awaited football match between the two traditional teams in Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis”. Touching on MTN’s 25th anniversary celebration, Mr. Owusu Nyarko highlighted the amazing rewards MTN Ghana is offering customers as part of the celebration and the continuous investment MTN has committed to modernize and expand its network infrastructure across the country to enhance customer experience. The Mayor for Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, Mr. Abdul Mumin-Issah who was the special guest of honour assured MTN of the Assembly’s support in making the festivity a memorable one. He commended MTN for promoting football in the region. Activities lined up for this year’s Twincity fest include Community Forum, stakeholder engagements, football gala between the super stars, Sekondi Hasaacas FC and the Sekondi Eleven Wise FC. The festival will be climaxed with the most famous Masquerade Carnival on July 31. Twincity Fest is an MTN initiated monthly-long festival aimed at celebrating stakeholders and customers in the Western Region and its environs. The celebration is to complement the myriad of festivals celebrated in the region that showcases the rich culture and customs of the people. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
UER: Farmers wept as Planting for Food and Jobs fertilizers nowhere to be found in the Upper East Region
Farmers in the Upper East Region are left with no hope in this year’s farming season as they wept for the current shortage of Planting for Food and Jobs fertilizers in the system. During the last year’s farming season, the region witnessed a massive supply of Planting for Food fertilizers across the region which was facilitated by the government through the Ministry of Agriculture. However, the PFJ policy success Story isn’t the same as usual this year, because the fertilizer is nowhere to be found in any part of the Region. Some farmers who spoke to Apexnewsgh.com say this year’s farming is very difficult for them because the little fertilizer that came through the private business individuals have also entered into the hands of the big men, making it difficult for the ordinary farmer to gain access to the fertilizer. Meanwhile, the Upper East Regional MoFA Director Mr. Francis Ennor, linked the recent shortage as the effect of COVID-19 and a double increase in prices which had actually gone against the government’s will. He described the current situation as a big problem. “Actually this year is not coming as it used to be. It is actually a problem this year”. You see, because of the COVID production have reduced and the prices have also gone up. The government signed a contract with these companies late last year and this year, the prices have almost doubled so is not to their advantage and the government has not gotten the money immediately to meet the shortfall”. He explained “So, they are also reluctant to bring in the fertilizer. That is the problem we are facing now”. According to the Regional MoFA Director Mr. Ennor, the fertilizer they brought to Navrongo is an open market fertilizer and not the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) fertilizer as claimed by some farmers in the Navrongo Municipal. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Stop presidential spouse salaries – TUC to Akufo-Addo
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has kicked against the payment of salaries to the wives of President Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia. There is public outcry over the agreement of parliament to pay the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia’s wife, Mrs Samira Bawumia, salaries equivalent to that of cabinet ministers. The salaries have also been backdated to January 2017. Adding its voice to the many groups and individuals that have condemned the move, the TUC, in a statement, said the spouses of presidents and vice-presidents are not specified under Article 71 of the Constitution of Ghana and, therefore, wonders why they should receive salaries pegged to emoluments and privileges for officeholders specified under Article 71. “It is true that salaries of some presidential staffers not specified under Article 71 receive emoluments that are the level of ministers or even higher, in accordance with the Presidential Office Act, 1993(Act 463), Legal Service Act and other acts. But it should be noted that the duties and responsibilities of Article 71 officeholders and all jobholders in the public service, including presidential staffers, are clear. The spouses of presidents and vice-presidents have not been officially assigned any such duties and responsibilities. Therefore, they are not qualified to receive salaries from the public purse,” the statement said. The TUC stated that although Ghanaians appreciate what the first and second ladies are doing to support women’s rights, child rights, and other noble initiatives towards social and economic development of the country, neither the Constitution of Ghana nor the laws of land assign them any official duties and responsibilities. “Therefore, the Trades Union Congress cannot support the payment of salaries to the spouses of presidents and vice presidents even if the Ntiamoa-Baidu’s Committee recommended the payment of such salaries.” The statement added that “it is simply not right for anyone who has not been officially assigned duties and responsibilities in the public service to receive monthly salaries.” The TUC has, thus, advised President Akufo-Addo to use all the powers accorded him by the Constitution of Ghana, first, to stop the payment of the salaries to his wife and the wife of the Vice President immediately, until they are officially assigned duties and responsibilities. Below are details of a statement by the TUC: We have followed the ongoing spirited public debate on the payment of salaries to spouses of presidents and vice presidents. Here are the facts we have gathered so far: 1) The payment of allowances to spouses of presidents and vice presidents was introduced by the first Government of 4th Republic under the late former President Rawlings. 2) These allowances have been handled administratively by the Office of the President. 3) The Presidential Emoluments Committee chaired by Professor Ntiamoa-Baidu recommended that, henceforth, the wives of presidents and vice presidents should be paid monthly salaries at the level paid to cabinet ministers, as part of the privileges recommended for presidents and vice presidents. 4) The 7th Parliament, which was dissolved on 6th January 2021, approved the recommendation by Ntiamoa-Baidu’s Committee to convert these allowances to monthly salaries. 5) Salary arrears dated back to January 2017 have since been paid to the wives of President Akuffo-Addo and Vice-President Bawumia, in accordance with the Committee’s recommendation which was approved by NDC and NPP Members of Parliament. The spouses of presidents and vice presidents are not specified under Article 71 of the Constitution of Ghana. The question is: why should they receive salaries pegged to emoluments and privileges for officeholders specified under Article 71? It is true that salaries of some presidential staffers not specified under Article 71 receive emoluments that are the level of ministers or even higher, in accordance with the Presidential Office Act, 1993(Act 463), Legal Service Act and other acts. But it should be noted that the duties and responsibilities of Article 71 officeholders and all jobholders in the public service, including presidential staffers, are clear. The spouses of presidents and vice presidents have not been officially assigned any such duties and responsibilities. Therefore, they are not qualified to receive salaries from the public purse. Ghanaians appreciate what the first and second ladies are doing to support women’s rights, child rights, and other noble initiatives towards social and economic development of our country. But neither the Constitution of Ghana nor the laws of land assign them any official duties and responsibilities. Therefore, the Trades Union Congress cannot support the payment of salaries to the spouses of presidents and vice presidents even if the Ntiamoa-Baidu’s Committee recommended the payment of such salaries. It is simply not right for anyone who has not been officially assigned duties and responsibilities in the public service to receive monthly salaries. The Committee probably sought to regularize the payment of allowances which were being paid already. But you cannot regularize the payment of allowances which has no legal basis. The ongoing passionate debate indicates clearly that this issue is very important to Ghanaians. We would like to advise President Akufo-Addo to use all the powers accorded him by the Constitution of Ghana, first, to stop the payment of the salaries to his wife and the wife of the Vice President immediately, until they are officially assigned duties and responsibilities. The President should also ensure that all such payments made to his wife and the wife of the Vice-President are refunded immediately. When the time comes for spouses of presidents and vice presidents to be assigned official duties and responsibilities that will qualify them to receive salaries from taxpayers’ money the executive arm of government should remember the spouses of the Speakers of Parliament (the heads of the legislative arm of government) and the spouses of Chief Justices (the heads of the judiciary arm of government). They can also perform some official duties. We would also like to advise the President to initiate a process towards the establishment of a Committee/Commission made up of experts from various fields to advise the government on salaries for all jobholders in