The new Board Chairman of the Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod), Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, believes the slashing of the “outrageous” salaries of Cocobod’s top management is only a reasonable step to align the Board with the state remuneration structure.
“Cocobod is a state institution. It cannot be taken out of the context of the overall remuneration structure and within the executive and those ancillary services,” Mr. Owusu-Agyeman asserted on Eyewitness News.
Mr. Owusu-Agyeman has indicated that even after the planned cut in salaries, some of the top management will still earn more that the highest paid article 71 office holders which is pegged at GHC22,000.
“For me, it is absolutely unthinkable that the gross salary of the Chief Executive Officer should be in the neighbourhood of GHC70,000 to GHC75,000 a month, and the net is about GHC55, 000 to GHC57,000 a month. If you even discount this by 50 percent, it would still be higher than anybody under article 71 of the constitution,” he noted.
The new Cocobod Chair said the fact that the salary of the Cocobod Chief Executive Officer dwarfed the President’s salary was problematic given that “at the end of the day, we have to be able to say that the work that is being done is getting reasonable levels of remuneration commensurate with the work that they do, and also within the context of the Ghanaian economy.”
The fact that Cocobod is not even making profits also compounds the issue and makes the cuts necessary, according to Mr. Owusu-Agyeman.
“If they were making profits, it would have been a different story, but in the last three to five years, there has been deficit upon deficit. If you are making no profit and we begin to say we want to discipline and trim down expense and what have you, then you have to look at the whole thing.”
Cocoa workers should see the most benefit
He also expressed concern about the fact that many cocoa farmers whose activities are being supervised by these managers, have rather become poor in many instances.
“I saw one of the budgets where the amount of money allocated to cocoa farmers’ children amounted to basically GHC2 million and that is easily the total gross salary of the two or three persons at the top. All I am saying is those who do the work should benefit more than anybody else,” he noted.
Mr. Owusu-Agyeman was sworn in today [Tuesday] by President Nana Addo as Chairman of the Board, together with other board members.
Source: citifmonline.com
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Please can hackman tell us how much per diem he was collecting as a minister and how much he was paid by Ariel to bring down omo. He should also tell us how much governor of BOG and others are collecting.He should keep quite before those of us who know him expose him
If not ***barred word*** how can employee take huge salary than employer oh Ghana we are doom, I cry for mother Ghana.
Thank Ghanaian s who voted for change and am glad we have competent people who have Ghana at heart,I also suggest we have to do amendment in our laws in order to stop these to happen again in the near future
Very nice wages , William thanks for putting out the equivalents in dollars for thousands of us who don't understand the local currency, who are always left in the dark. Ghana Fair trade, and fair wages.No wonder they are cutting the cocoa trees. $2 a day.
Hypocrisy, stop all this and fix the economy. The salary in question was approve by the board so stop this child talk and get busy. If the man in question has done something probe and send him to court and stop discussing his salary. I have worked in the IT Department of a very big company and the Director's salary without deduction wasGH¢100,000. Even manager in the oil field are taking 20,000 dollars which is about 80,000 ghana cedis some are even taking as much as 100,000 dollars, please let stop this. If you don't have anything against him let him go. We are not interested in his salary
Sometimes you read these things and the best way to react is to keep quiet and continue with your lent. No wonder the Man is arrogant.
HURRAY HURRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY GHANAIANS NOW KNOW HOW MUCH COCOA BOARD MANAGEMENT TAKE HOME AS THEIR SALARY PER MONTH. CAN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DAY VISIT SSNIT ALSO AND FIND OUT HOW MUCH THEY PAID THEIR BOARD MEMBERS AND THE ENTIRE WORKERS AND CONTINUE TO ALL GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS IN THE COUNTRY PERIOD.
OH MY GOODNESS! Why would Ghana want to pay GHC 75,000 per month to one person? It's incredible and ridiculous!! What work do they do there? LORD have mercy on this country called GHANA!!
I'm sicck to the stomach. How can this be. Let them try bringing this ***barred word*** back. May God have mercy on this nation. These guys have enriched themselves to a fault. And Mahama pretended to have his ministers salaries. To what end. Diversionary tactics to steaal our resources. The village cocoa farmers can't find even potable water to drink but politicians can do this to us. I'm soo sad. I don't blame Dr Opuni, president Mahama suppretended over such gargantuan payments. Aren't they stealers. Let them bring him back. And the guts to go to schools to give our young guys lectures. Where's the love for Ghana?
The fact os the matter is that most of these NDC honchoes ought to be tied to the stakes and shot on a hot afternoon.These people think that Ghana is one hapless lady who could be raped as often as possible,