The Trades Union Congress has waded into controversies surrounding the payment of salaries to spouses of the President and Vice President.
The TUC says it cannot support the payment of salaries to spouses of presidents and vice presidents even if the Ntiamoa-Baidu’s Committee recommended the payment of such salaries.
A statement signed by Secretary-General of TUC, Dr. Yaw Baah says it is simply not right for anyone who has not been officially assigned duties and responsibilities in the public service to receive monthly salaries.
According to the TUC, the Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee probably sought to regularize the payment of allowances which were being paid already, but can not regularize the payment of allowances which have no legal basis.
The ongoing passionate debate the TUC notes is very important to Ghanaians and called on 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 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 Vice President are refunded immediately.
The TUC said Ghanaians appreciate what the first lady and wife of the vice president are doing to support women’s rights, child rights, and other noble initiatives towards social and economic development of the country.
However, neither the Constitution of Ghana nor the laws of the land assign them any official duties and responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the Trades Union Congress, TUC has asked President Akufo-Addo to initiate a process towards the establishment of a Committee or a Commission made up of experts from various fields to advise government on salaries for all jobholders in the entire public service to ensure fairness.
To the TUC, the current system appears to favour politicians at the expense of other jobholders in the larger public service in terms of salaries, allowances and other job-related privileges.
It says under no circumstances should sections of the public service receive unfair advantage over others in the same public service adding that wrongs that have been perpetuated over nearly past three decades at the blind side of taxpayers must stop now.
