NPP MP to Kwesi Pratt: MP�s Don�t Earn 72m Cedis a Month

Hon. Kobby Okyere Darko-Mensah, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Takoradi has debunked claims by the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, that Members of Parliament earn Gh₵7,200 (72million old cedis) a month. Somewhere last year, the MPs threatened to show government by rejecting the budget statement if nothing is done about their salaries. Their threat forced the late President Atta Mills to hold a meeting with them at the Castle, before he later proceeded to Parliament to deliver his State of the Nation Address. The MPs, whose salaries hover around GH�3,000, are now receiving a whopping GH�7,200 a month, about �72million old currency. According to the NPP MP who was a co-panelist on Adom FM Thursday morning, he has never received such an amount in his account despite being known by Ghanaians that MP�s are earning 72 million a month. �I don�t receive 7, 200 cedis in my account. My national SSNIT paid is 1,400 and my tax as well. Kwesi Pratt should put such issues in context when dealing with MP�s monthly salary. The point I�m raising is that, 72 million doesn�t end up in my account. We (MP�s) buy petrol apart from paying out SSNIT and taxes,� he clarified. Hon. Kobby Darko further explained why Parliament did not approve the President�s �12,000 monthly salary after issues been raised. �The reason why parliament did work on it is that, if he (President Mahama) thinks the amount is huge, then he should bring a proposal. We (the MP�s) cannot determine that. That is not the procedure; we can�t be his PR (Public Relation). That is the basic thing. If he thinks the 120 million is too much which was accepted by late President Mills, then he (President Mahama) should also submit a proposal to parliament as well and raise issues of his salary so it will be discussed,� he said.