Salaries for President and Vice-Girls in Management Positions Myopia, Monetary Stress, Constitutional Infidelity – Prof. John Gatsi
Prof. John Gatsi says Article 71 of the 1992 Constitution does not recognize the wives of public officials for salaries including allowances, facilities and privileges.
He said the payment of salaries to these spouses was a sign of infidelity to the constitution and the financial burden on the consolidated fund.
Prof. Gatsi spoke to Dzifa Bampoe through Accra-based radio network 3FM about the controversial issue of paying allowances to the wives of the President and Vice-President.
He believes that the matter should be discussed on the basis of sound legal principles, empathic viewpoints and some historical lessons.
In his opinion, attempts to justify the President’s spouse allowance should not undermine the rule of law and due process.
“If politicians meant well to make the decision, it should be subjected to the experiences of the citizens in our democracy. Citizens believe that there is a myopia of leadership, where executives think about their short-term needs and forget that many citizens have the same problem that they want. ” to solve for yourself. The truth is, if we give broad support to an inadequate practice, then we are collectively empowering leaders to undermine the Constitution, ”he postulated.
He stated that the development amounts to illegal placement of “presidential women” under Article 71. Prof. Gatsi emphasized that this implies that these women are invariably allowed to enjoy salaries, allowances and facilities that omnibus applications, including vehicles and pension benefits, may have. “That means the cost to the public is much higher than the salaries.”
Prof. Gatsi went on to say that while considering financial resources is very important, citizens should prioritize adherence to legal principles, “because whether the economy is in need or not, people must demand what they are legally entitled to.”
Prof. Gatsi further stated that recipients of taxpayers’ money, especially civil servants under Article 71, should work under higher transparency, accountability and responsibility requirements of the public service. “Getting salaries from the consolidated fund requires some public service for the state.”
In his opinion, philanthropic works by the first and second ladies should not be a reason to put them under Article 71 beneficiaries “because there are millions of Ghanaians in both the public and private sectors who take part in charitable activities for service participate in society “.
Prof. Gatsi added that first and second women running philanthropic organizations is easily supported financially and logistically by some government institutions and the private sector when their husbands are in active public service, which is usually not easy for other Ghanaians.
He said that when they are no longer in power, fundraising wanes and over time “we don’t hear about their philanthropic activities”.
He stressed that other issues to be discussed include whether the wives will enjoy the tax exemption enjoyed by the president. “Are you treated as civil servants?” he asks.
Prof. Gatsi urges the government to follow normal legal process to extend Article 71 benefits to the wives of presidents and vice-presidents.
“It is part of our value system to show empathy with people, including former first and second ladies, who may go through challenges, but it should be done in a way that does not portray them as civil servants,” he said.
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