The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ejusu constituency in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, Lawyer John Ampontuah Kumah, has pleaded with Ghanaians to treat Members of the August House with the fairness they deserve.
He also says that, the Member of Parliament’s office is part of the Article 71 office holders described by the Constitution, hence they should be treated just as all the other offices under the Article.
He explained that, the Constitution is explicit on the individuals who are to receive their emoluments under the Article, including the President, the Vice President, Speaker of Parliament, Ministers, Parliamentarians, Chief Justice, Justices of the Superior Court of Judicature, Municipal Chief Executives, Council of State members., the Electoral Commission, etc.
Speaking in an interview on Akoma FM, John Kumah stated further that, all those in these offices are given duty vehicles and are well taken care of, in terms of other incentives and allowances that enable them have the comfort to execute their duties for the state with effectiveness and efficiency.
According to him, it is very unfair that, MPs who are equally part of Article 71 office holders are given no duty vehicles, but rather given loans to purchase their vehicles and to pay back.
He further asserted that, an MP is sometimes deducted of about GH¢6,000.00 monthly for 48 months, leaving financial stress on the individual at the end of the day, whilst pools of cars are periodically bought for the other Article 71 office holders as their duty vehicles without having to pay for them.
The Ejisu MP therefore suggested that, government should consider buying a pool of vehicles for the Members of Parlaiment to be used as their duty cars over the period of their engagement, with same car returned to the state after one leaves Parliament, to enable the next Parliamentarian elected to use it.
Same vehicles could be maintained and replaced when they become obsolete.
He was unhappy about the way the deentralization process of Ghana is progressing, saying, the system has deprived the very important community development tool and rather centered the resources mostly around the bigger offices.
He wondered why the Assembly member who is also voted for and the unit committee member are not given any allowances, incentives or logistics to enable them deliver their developmental mandate.
On the salaries of the spouses of the first two gentlemen, he said, it was just a gesture to formalize what already existed.
He appealed to Ghanaians to be patient with issues and understand the plight of the MP.
