General News of Tuesday, 17 April 2018
Source: Myjoyonline.com
2018-04-17
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu
The Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu says the double salary accusations against former government officials can only be legitimate if viewed from a narrow perspective.
However, a holistic investigation of the scandal will point to discrepancies which should not warrant criminal investigations, he stated.
He was speaking to Joy News’ Evans Mensah on the criminal investigations triggered by the Police CID on the alleged receipt of double salaries by some former government appointees.
Haruna Iddrisu is one of nine former government officials accused of taking double salaries.
He explained that as Article 71 office holders, they are paid salary advance in lieu of the determination of the presidential emoluments committee.
When the committee finally decides the amount they should earn as salaries at the end of their tenure, an amount is deducted from their ex-gratia if they have been overpaid or given a top-up in their ex-gratia if they were underpaid.
He said the accusation of double salaries will hold if only “current ministers and MPs will not tomorrow accept any addition to what is being paid them today as salary advance.”
“That will be interesting and intriguing for us as a Republic. It means tomorrow when President Nana Akufo-Addo finally sets up this committee, the committee will make recommendations which will in most instances occasion them receiving salary arrears which will affect even payment of their gratuity and ex-gratia.
“So viewed narrowly you can say that Ministers of state and MPs are involved in double claims,” he said.
But the allegation goes beyond discrepancies in payments.
Gary Nimako
A lawyer and member of the New Patriotic Party communications team Gary Nimako alleged that some of the accused ex-officials have been cited for taking salaries as MPs and as ministers and cannot claim ignorance of receiving double salaries.