Professor Ransford Gyampo of the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana, has demanded concrete proof that President Akufo-Addo and his appointees have indeed taken a salary cut.
The President reiterated over the weekend that himself and all appointees had taken a 30% salary cut in the face of mounting economic challenges, when he addressed an Eid-ul-Adha gathering at the Independence Square in Accra.
“We are all going to have to make some sacrifices to afford us the space to navigate the troubled waters of the current economic difficulties.
“The expenditure of ministries, departments, and agencies has been cut by 30 percent. The salaries of all appointees including myself have been reduced by 30 percent. Fuel coupon allocations have been slashed by 50 percent and other expenditures suspended,” President Akufo-Addo said.
But Prof. Gyampo wants the President and his appointees to make one sacrifice more, to make available their pay slips for the ordinary citizens to verify that indeed they had taken the reported cut.
According to him, politicians cannot be trusted because these claims could be for propaganda value and little else.
“We live in a country where statistical computation and data is protected, and so when some people talk about percentages, it is a bit debatable,” he said in an interview with Accra-based Joy News Channel.
“Salaries of the President and his appointees have been reduced by 30%, what is the proof? For me, unless we have the chance to see the pay slips of these officials, I think just telling us that salaries have been reduced is just for the cameras,” he stressed.
The lecturer cited how untrustworthy politicians had become in the wake of government’s pledge to ditch the International Monetary Fund, IMF, if the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) was approved.
“They passed the E-Levy and they are now talking IMF, so my point is that many politicians know that Ghanaians do not bother to check some of these assertions so they can come out to say we have reduced our salaries by 30%.
“Unless we have access to pay slip and salary advice of these politicians, I think that telling us that your salary has been reduced by 30% is just propaganda and something that is shared to throw dust in the eyes of the people. Let us see the salary slip and be able to do before and after and appreciate the claims,” he stressed further.
Source: ghanaweb
