The National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) is said to be in discussions with the government for amendment of the Law to enable equitable and fair allowances for all Assembly Members in the country, according to the Conference of Presiding Members in Eastern Region.
The Conference of Presiding Members also claim NALAG is already discussing with Government for a uniformed ex-gratia for all Assembly Members, allocation of portions of the District Assembly Common Fund to Assembly Members to enable them to undertake minor developmental projects to fix local needs, adding that, issues relating to logistics particularly the distribution of Motorbike of Standard quality to all Assembly Members are also being discussed.
“We are much aware of the following discussions which were initiated early this year by the only recognized body for all Assembly Members – NALAG and Government: Amendment of the Law to enable payment of equitable and fair allowance to all Assembly Members by Central government. This is because the financial capacities of Assemblies differ and that when payment of allowance is left to Assemblies alone, Assembly Members across the country will experience inequalities as less privileged Assemblies do not generate enough revenues to meet the demand of the article 250(2).”
The Conference of Presiding Members in the Eastern made up of Presiding Members of Municipal and District Assemblies in the region said this at a Press Conference in Koforidua on Friday.
Stating their position on the monthly salaries for Assembly Members, the Conference of Assembly Members in Eastern Region said, even though they will be happy to experience enhanced conditions of service for Assembly Members including emolument which is the creation of the Constitution, they do not trust the Presidential Candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC, John Dramani Mahama to deliver on this promise has failed to deliver the same promise in 2012 manifesto of the NDC repeated in 2016, let alone talk about a well-thought-through policy.
“Mahama thinking that Ghanaians in general and Assembly Members, in particular, have short memories as he mentioned some time ago has repackaged this same promise calculated to deceive our Hon. Assembly Members to gain their votes” George Krobea Asante -Eastern Regional Organizer for the Conference said.
The Presiding Members argue that if the payment of Salaries for Assembly Members is not well thought through, it will weaken the local governance system as it will discourage professionals from earning better salaries from contesting to be paid meager salaries by the government since they cannot take double salaries.
This they say will deprive Assemblies of the requisite expertise.
“We have medical Doctors, Teachers, Nurses, and other public servants whose salaries are already charged to the Consolidated Fund. The big question is whether or not we will be encouraging double salaries should the request be granted in the current state of the Law. We think that this is likely to weaken our local governance system as professionals will not be interested in resigning from their professional employment and take up the office of an Assembly Member.”
Promise by the Presidential Candidate of the Opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC, John Dramani Mahama that the next NDC government will pay monthly allowances to Assembly Members has sparked diverse opinions, Whereas a section of Assembly, Members welcomes the promise others have doubted its actualization.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Obed Ansah
