National Youth Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP), Henry Nana Boakye, has challenged the former First Lady to return all allowances amounting to GHc 3.2 million paid to her by the state from the recommendations of the Prof. Yaa Ntiamoa Baidu emoluments committee.

According to him, she has equally benefitted from the recommendations of the Prof. Yaa Ntiamoa Baidu emoluments committee.

Speaking on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ program, he said they will hit the streets to protest if she refuses to refund all the monies paid her by the state as allowances recommended by the committee.

” . . The First Lady having heard the discussions going on about their allowances and upon sober reflection has decided to refund all allowances paid her since 2017 as recommended by the committee. So we expect the former First Lady Madam Lordina Mahama to also refund the money paid to her by the state,” he said.

“Her refusal to do so will lead to a massive demonstration by the youth of this country,” he added.

The committee had recommended that the First Lady be paid a salary equivalent to 80% as a cabinet minister who is also a member of Parliament.

Meanwhile, Parliament has approved that the wives of the President and Vice President should receive salaries.

This recommendation has, however, generated fury and an avalanche of criticism against the ruling government.

Public Discourse

Some sections of the Ghanaian public have taken to social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, to register their displeasure with the Committee ’s recommendation. The Minority in Parliament and the former President of the republic, John Dramani Mahama, have also joined in the calls for the policy to be relooked at.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) in a recent statement also recommended that since the First and Second Ladies of the Republic are not allotted defined roles by the 1992 Constitution, government should take another look at the report and recommendations of the Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu-led committee.

Ist Lady Refunds Nearly Ghc900k Allowances

First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo has, “decided not to accept any monies that have been allocated to be paid to her pursuant to the recommendations of the Ntiamoa-Badu Committee, as approved by Parliament”.

In a statement dated 12th July 2021, the 1st Lady described the “extremely negative opinions” from critics which are seeking to portray her as a “self-serving and self-centered woman” as “distasteful”.

In view of this, she “in consultation with the President of the Republic, has decided to refund all monies paid to her as allowances from the date of the President’s assumption of office, i.e., from January 2017 to date, amounting to GH¢899,097.84.”

Samira Bawumia To Refund GHc887,482 Allowances

The Second Lady of the Republic, Samira Bawumia is set to refund a total amount of eight hundred and eighty-seven thousand, four hundred and eighty-two (GHc 887,482) she has thus far received as allowances from January 2017 to March 2021.

“The Second lady, H. E Samira Bawumia in consultation with H.E. The Vice President, will refund all allowances paid to her since 2017 and will not accept any monies allocated to her pursuant to the recommendations of the Prof. Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu led committee, as approved by Parliament on 6th January 2021,” a statement from her office said.

The Second Lady’s move follows a similar step by the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, who has also decided to refund to the State a total of eight hundred and ninety-nine thousand and ninety-seven Ghana cedis (GHc 899,097.00).

The decision of the two leading ladies of the Republic to refund their allowances is motivated by recent public backlash that has characterized the recommendation made by the Presidential Committee on Emoluments for Article 71 office holders for the First and Second Ladies to be paid allowance as part of the benefits of the President and Vice President.

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