MPs to recieve ¢50,000 as rent allowance

All 257 members of Parliament are to receive a whopping 50,000 cedis as rent allowance for their term.

This works out to 13 million, 750 thousands cedis of the public purse.

Last year, each MP received 30,000 cedis and there are fears, the figure could double in 2016 with its attendant burden on the economy if an immediate position in not taken by government.

The decision to the give the MPs rent allowance has provoked some controversy.

Nana Akomea, director of Communications for the NPP and a former Member of Parliament for Okaikoi South is convinced the country will be better off if it builds about 300 flats for the MPs in Accra.

This he believed would save the country lots of money in the long run.

But the MPs are themselves divided on the matter.
In an interview with Joy News some of the MPs insisted they are better off being paid part of their salaries as rent allowance so they rent their own houses.

But the Executive Director of IMANI Ghana Franklin Cudjoe told Joy News the 50,000 rent allowance is too much.

He said the rent allowance for the MPs must reflect the economic conditions in the country.

He would rather the MPs are paid half the amount that is being quoted.