Assembly Members Cry for Monthly Salaries

Mr. Nathaniel Akyeampong

Assembly Members operating in various electoral areas in the 216 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in the country have appealed to the Government through Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to consider paying them monthly salaries from the consolidated fund.

According to them, they offer practical benefits of the Local Government policy to people in their electoral area and have been the first call of contact in terms of governance.

In an interview with newsmen, the Elected Assembly Member for Donkoyanmu/Obra Wogum Electoral area in the Effutu Municipality of the Central Region, Mr. Nathaniel Akyeampong on behalf of his colleagues noted that even though a bill to that effect was before Members of Parliament for consideration and possible passage, they still wish to appeal to Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, NALAG, Institute of Local Government Studies and other stakeholders to add their voice for early passage of the bill.

"Just as a bold decision was taken for the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure for government workers, same could be done to implement monthly salaries for Assembly Members.

Moreover, with the hidden interest demonstrated by all the political parties in the election of Assembly Members, our responsibilities as Assembly Members has gone beyond being a community or electoral area representative but a political leader who intermittently receives funeral and church invitation, payment of school fees and hospital bills among others. All these are done from our private pockets.

Thus affecting our lives as husbands and wives who should seek the wellbeing of our families negatively"

Mr. Nathaniel Akyeampong expressed the hope that the plight of the Assembly Members would be considered by those in authority and relief them accordingly to enable them perform even better adding that decentralization which happens to be the bedrock of democracy and participatory governance rest on the shoulders of Assembly Members.