First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, says she can’t accept the emoluments approved for her by Parliament.
She has thus decided to refund to the state all monies paid her since 2017 which amounts to GHS899,097.84.
In a statement signed by the Director of Communications at the Office of the First Lady, Korkor Bleboo, Mrs. Akufo Addo said she had in consultation with President Akufo-Addo, decided to refund all monies paid to her as allowances from the date of the President’s assumption of office – from January 2017 to date.
The statement explained that the decision was taken by the First Lady following public discussion on the issue that has been laced with some extremely negative opinions, in some cases.
The statement referred to the recommendations of the Prof Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee which was established, pursuant to Article 71 of the Constitution, which, among other things, sought to regularize the payment of allowances to spouses of the current President and Vice President, former Heads of State, Presidents and Vice Presidents, as part of privileges due the President and Vice President under Article 71 of the Constitution.
It said the First Lady has taken note of ongoing conversation in the nation, following from the recommendations and bipartisan approval by Parliament, as mandated by the Constitution as the body, which approved emoluments of the Executive.
It explained that the payment of such allowances existed and was made to previous First Ladies in the course of the Fourth Republic, prior to Mrs. Akufo-Addo becoming First Lady.
The statement said the First Lady does not want these matters to serve as a distraction from the good work that the President, who is currently touring the Savannah and Upper West regions.
It also stated that the First Lady would continue to support the President, as she had always done, in the execution of the mandate entrusted to him by the good people of Ghana.
