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‘Cut your coat according to your size’ – Prof Appiagyei-Atua to MPs on payment of ex-gratia
Professor Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua of the University of Ghana School of Law has stated that the payment of ex-gratia to Members of Parliament (MPs) is not justified.
As a result, he wants it to be scrapped.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, June 16, he said government must stop paying the ex-gratia.
He insisted that the political elite are taking advantage of the same “benefit to milk the state.”
As such, he urged MPs with a focus on the said benefit to live within their means.
“No, it cannot be justified, and I think that Parliament should sit up and say that if you are saying that you spend too much due to campaigning and so on, be circumspect in your campaigning because that is where corruption starts.”
“Cut your coat according to your size if you know you are not expecting ex-gratia, you’ll know how to organize your political campaign.”
Prof. Appiagyei-Atua also rejected the justification by the Speaker of Parliament for the payment.
“If you are talking about the fact that ex-gratia is made available to everyone whether you win elections or lose and don’t come back, you are entitled to that, then how can you call that a retiring benefit?
“They also need to look at the fact that it is a huge amount of money and the justification that the Speaker is putting to it, it is not just because if you are paying for people’s funerals and school fees and so on, why do you turn around to the government to pay that money back to you.
“It is a way you want to use to return to power, and it is purely at the discretion of that MP to use that money just to hold on to power. So I think it is not justified.
The Rt. Honourable Speaker at a public lecture at the University for Professional Studies, Accra, on Wednesday, June 15, justified the payment of ex-gratia to Members of Parliament.
He contended that the money is very important for the sustenance of the MPs after serving the country.
According to him, MPs do not benefit much from ex-gratia as the public perceives.
He explained that the money spent by Members of Parliament to campaign for their elections is three times more than the ex-gratia they receive.
“We are having these problems because there is some perception that ex-gratia is some huge money…You know that as MPs you don’t benefit from that ex-gratia, you don’t, because the money you spent to be elected to Parliament is thrice or four times what they give you as ex-gratia. No MP leaves Parliament better than the MP enters Parliament.
“Once an MP is elected, he must win the next election, and so they sacrifice everything to satisfy the voters in the constituency so that they could win again. So at the end of the day when they lose the election, they have lost everything, they have invested everything in the election, and they now have nothing,” he noted.
The subject of ex-gratia recently resurfaced following the former Council of State member, Togbe Afede’s decision to reject over 300 thousand Cedis paid to him after serving on the National Council of State between 2017 and 2020.
Subsequently, social media users showered accolades on the Paramount Chief for rejecting the amount paid him as ex-gratia.
The netizens praised him for protecting the public purse and thinking of the growth and development of the country. Even though, some people didn’t agree with him.
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Education Minister Haruna Iddrissu has announced that government is working to make education free for all learners with special needs, with funding expected to come from GETFund.
He shared the plan during a press briefing with the media.
According to him, an initial estimate shows that the policy will require between 65 million and 100 million cedis every year.
He noted that GETFund currently has a budget of 9 million cedis, and with proper adjustments, it should be possible for the fund to release about 100 million cedis every other year to support the policy.
Mr Iddrissu added that government is also committed to providing free tertiary education for all persons with disabilities.
He explained that the support will go beyond classroom learning and will include feeding and the provision of assistive learning devices for learners with special needs.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana’s singing Prophet, Joseph Atarah, has released a video for his new song dubbed ‘Increase’. The video was directed and shot by renowned director, Sky Web.
The motivational video exhibits captivating dance moves, set against the vibrant and beautiful city of Accra. Prophet Atarah co-wrote the song with Nana Boateng.
Touching on the message during an interview on Hitz FM’s Daybreak Hitz, he said, ‘Increase’ is a motivational song telling people not to give up in their present situation. According to him, with determination and a relentless desire to succeed, God will make everything beautiful.
“As you trust in God’s plan, remember that ‘INCREASE’ is on the way. Just as seeds grow into harvest, your faith is growing into abundance. God’s got you, and His increase is surrounding you,” he added.
Prophet Atarah resigned from the military band in 2006 after an encounter with God to start his prophetic ministry and commenced his music journey about four years ago.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
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