Abronye DC drags NPP to Supreme Court over salaries for presidential spouses

The Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as ‘Abronye’ has formally filed a writ at the Supreme Court to reverse the payment of salaries approved for First and Second Ladies.

Rockson Dafeamekpor, Member of Parliament for South Dayi and Clement Apaak who is also the MP for Builsa South Constituency have all sued the Attorney General to reverse the payment of emoluments for First and Second Ladies.

In the suit, the two MPs said the decision to pay the presidential spouses is inconsistent with the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and hence must not see the light of day.

“…per Article 71 (1) and (2), the positions of the first and second ladies of Ghana do not fall under the category of public officeholders.

“Per Article 71 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the Emolument Committee is limited to recommending the salaries and other benefits and privileges of only public office holders”.

“….per Articles 108 and 178 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana; parliament cannot, on its own accord, initiate or approve payment of any such emoluments; which would be necessarily be paid from public funds; without a bill to that effect emanating from and introduced by the Government and passed into law," part of the suit from the two MPs reads.

They want the Supreme Court to declare the approval of the recommendation by parliament as “null, void and unenforceable”.

As reported by Modernghana News earlier this week, Parliament approved recommendations of the Prof Yaa Ntiamoah-Baidu-led Committee on emoluments for Article 71 officeholders for which spouses of President Akufo Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will receive the same monthly salaries as Cabinet Ministers.

Below is the Writ from the two MPs below: