Information reaching DAILY GUIDE indicates that some 22 ministers under the erstwhile Mahama administration were taking double salaries.
The information indicates that the ministers, who were Members of Parliament (MPs), were drawing salaries as MPs and at the same time receiving their monthly salaries as ministers, contrary to the law.
Some of the ministers involved are said to have agreed to refund the moneys back to the state when they were confronted by security agents.
The alleged scandal, DAILY GUIDE has gathered, started sometime in 2012.
The revelation seems to reaffirm claims by some civil society organisations and members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that there had been massive acts of corruption by officers of the erstwhile NDC government.
Per the constitution, MPs, who are appointed ministers, may either choose to receive their salaries as ministers or take what their colleague MPs are taking – although other benefits are attached.
But DAILY GUIDE has gathered that most of the MPs, who were appointed ministers under the previous Mahama administration opted to receive the salaries as ministers – because they are a little higher than that of MPs.
Some of the names mentioned are Alban Bagbin, MP for Nadowli West in the Upper West Region; ET Mensah, one of the ‘three wise men’ under Mahama’s presidency and former MP for Ningo Prampram; Haruna Iddrisu, former Minister of Employment and Labour Relations and MP for Tamale South.
The rest are Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, former Petroleum Minister and MP for Ellembelle in the Western Region and Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, former Youth and Sports Minister and MP for Odododiodioo Constituency.
DAILY GUIDE will provide the full list of the ministers involved in the double salary scandal in subsequent editions.
Speaking on Accra-based Oman FM’s political analysis programme ‘Boiling Point’ sometime in February, outspoken Member of Parliament for Assin Central in the Central Region, Kennedy Agyapong, threatened to expose their names.
Last month, former Minister of Power, Dr. Kwabena Donkor, vehemently denied ever receiving double salaries as Minister and Member of Parliament when the rumours emerged.
He claimed it was impossible for any appointee to receive double salaries as many ministers who doubled as MPs rather opted to receive their salaries from parliament.
He could, however, not defend his colleague ministers and MPs as he was not certain whether they took double salaries or not.
He is reported to have said “I wish I could talk for everyone but I cannot. In that list my deputy, John Jinapor’s name is mentioned. John Jinapor was not an MP in 2016 so there must be something seriously wrong. What I know is that most women who are MPs, including the current crop of ministers, would not want any salaries from Flagstaff House because a ministerial appointment has no certainty; your parliamentary salary has certainty of a four-year period. And in our time the difference in salary between a cabinet minister and an MP was about a GH¢1,000.”
Source: Daily Guide
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YIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII. YEAKYE W)N. NDC AWIIIIOOOOOO AWI! DOUBLE PAY WHEN NURSES AND TEACHERS WERE SUFFERING. WHEN CHILDREN WERE STUDYING UNDER TREES AND OTHERS WITHOUT CHAIRS. EEEHHHH! WONDERS SHALL NEVER END. NATION WRECKERS. LOOTERSS OOOOOOO. THIS IS CRIMINAL. NDC CRIM. SENIOR CRIM IN GHANA.OFOSU KWAKYE YOUR ENGLISH PEOPLE ARE CRIMMMM
Please what does the Law say’s ? Can the state prosecute them for s’tealing our sovereignty.For Ndc very soon they will forget there will be an election come 2020.The fire will be too much for them to handle.
This report should be thrown into gutters without any delay!!!
A law without punishment is not a law. if a law says chiefs not allowed for politics; if they disobeyed the laws what happened? We have heard such allegations several times from both Ndc and Npp. They all dodged behind investigation but after investigation what happened? MP was killed in his house. Up to date the police has not finished the investigation. Late Prof Mills died, up to date we have not seen any medical report. But let poor person commit crime within twinkle of an eye he or she will be jailed. I don't trust black politicians. Majority of them are white armed robbers and pretenders. Do you remember what happened at SSNIT? Have you hear anything about it? Think twice!
What is more criminal than appointing only family members to ALL sensitive posts in government? Criminals will kill Ghana with family and friends government. But their cup will soon be full. Are other Ghanaians not qualified? Even 'Prophet' Owusu Bempa is appointed as a Board member of this super incompetent government, with the 110 ministers there to waste taxpayers money.
I always refer to the NDC as a cr!m!nal gang of greedy thifs.... John Mahama increased their salary and backdated it..... They later make a cosmetic gesture of 10% payment towards CHIPS compound buildings..... NDC must be disbanded..... They have not helped our country. Arrest the culprits and take them to court......
I AM NOT SURPRISED AT ALL BECAUSE THEY ARE A BUNCH OF CRIMINALLLLLLLS CALLING THEMSELVES NDC. HOW COULD THESE HAPPENED? ALL BECAUSE THEIR LEADER MAHAMA WAS ALSO THE SAME AS THE MPS. HE INCREASED HIS SALARY AND BACK DATED IT IN 2012. THANK GOD GHANA IS WORKING AGAIN UNDER NPP.
These peoples should not be allowed to go unpunish because this is criminal and as members of parliament who are to make laws for us should not engage in this criminality.we know how people who are not politicians are treated when they engage in this act . This should not be treated in secrecy because they ought to know better.Greedy bastards indeed.
ARREST THEM AND STOP THE PROPAGANDA. I want to ask Ghanaians this question. Are you people not tired of lies and propaganda from politicians? Cant you people read between the lines to know truth from lies?
IF THE ALLEGATION HAPPENS TO BE TRUE THEN AMIDU HAS PLENTY WORK TO DO. IF PARLIAMENTARIANS ARE EXPECTEDE TO MAKE THE LAW THEY ARE EQUALLY BOUND TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW. IF THESE MPS HAVE ACTED ULTRA VIRES OF THE CONSTITUTION THEY MUST NOT BE SPARED. PEOPLE CAN NOT WICKEDLY MAKE GHANA SO NAKED THROUGH THEIR DELIBERATE ACTIONS AND GO SCOT- FREE. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW IN THIS COUNTRY AND I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THOSE WHO ARE EXPECTED TO KNOW OR TO HAVE KNOWN BETTER SHOULD RATHER BE MADE TO PAY DEARLY FOR THEIR KNOWINGLY CORRUPT ACIONS. DAILY GUIDE SHOULD HAS A BIG TASK TO INVESTIGATE AND BRING OUT THOSE ALLEGED CORRUPT MPS TO BE INVESTIGATED IMMEDIATELY FOR PUNISHMENT IF FOUND TO HAVE PEPERTUATED THE ACT OR OF STEALING. WE ARE WAITING IMPATIENTLY AND KEENLY FOR THE REPORT.