The first lady, Rebecca-Akufo-Addo together with the Second lady Samira Bawumia will henceforth be on a monthly salary scheme from the government of Ghana.
This decision to pay them was made after the government adopted a recommendation by an emolument committee which was approved by the seventh parliament. This new arrangement will see to it that the spouses of both President Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia are paid contrary to what was practiced by previous governments.
There were earlier reports that had suggested that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had unilaterally decided to pay his wife and the wife of Dr. Bawumia.
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has however clarified that the approval was done by the previous parliament.
Oppong Nkrumah added that all surviving spouses of previous heads of states have been receiving salaries since president Kufuor’s tenure.
“The truth of the matter is that all surviving spouses of Heads of State, current and former, have always received salaries, they have all been receiving salaries since President Kufuor’s time,” he said.
The Information Minister emphasized that the committee recommended that the wives be paid and that was approved by the seventh parliament.
“That recommendation was then forwarded to the Seventh Parliament which then gave the approval and it is now to be implemented. It is, therefore, not true as it is being circulated that the President has approved of emoluments to the First Lady and Second Lady,” he added.
Source: Appointedgh