ASEPA sues Gov’t over salaries for First, Second ladies

The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability [ASEPA] has today filed an action at the Supreme Court of Ghana invoking the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court on the Prof. Yaa Ntiamoah Baidoo Committee’s recommendations to pay salaries to first and second ladies.

Among other things ASEPA is requesting the Supreme Court to make a declaration that the Prof. Ntiamoah Baidoo Committee did not have the capacity to make recommendations for persons outside Article 71.

ASEPA is also asking the Supreme Court to make a declaration that the current allowances paid to first and second ladies out of State benevolence is also unlawful.

ASEPA wants an order from the Supreme Court to restrain Government from making any payments whatsoever in the form of salaries or allowances to the first and second ladies until such a time when the Constitution is duly amended and provisions made for the first/second ladies under the law.

This comes after Parliament approved recommendations of the Prof Yaa Ntiamoah-Baidu-led Committee on emoluments for Article 71 officeholders for which spouses of President Akufo Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will receive the same monthly salaries as Cabinet Ministers.

According to the report;

• The payment of allowances to spouses of presidents and vice presidents was introduced by the first Government of 4^th Republic under the late former President Rawlings.
• These allowances have been handled administratively by the Office of the President.
• 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.
• The 7^th Parliament, which was dissolved on 6^th January 2021, approved the recommendation by Ntiamoa-Baidu’s Committee to convert these allowances to monthly salaries.
• 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.