Parliament C’ttee To Probe Alleged ‘Double Salary’ Saga

Parliament will soon activate a two-member bi-partisan committee to investigate the allegations of the payment of double salaries to some officials of the erstwhile Mahama administration.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID), is already investigating the allegations with various Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) taking turns to assist the police with investigations.

The Committee, made up of the Monitoring and Evaluation Minister, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, and Ho Central MP, Benjamin Kpodo, should have begun work earlier, but miscommunication between the Minority and Majority stalled their work from commencing.

Speaking to Citi News, Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, said the committee is expected to provide some clarity on the issue in order for the matter to be put to rest.

“The two-man committee involves Dr.Anthony Akoto Osei and Benjamin Kpodo. Initially, it was Ato Forson who was to join Dr. Akoto Osei to do this exercise. Unfortunately, before the committee could start, Ato Forson took a position, lampooning the police. And we felt that by that action he had compromised himself and he was replaced.”

“I believe that in the next couple of days, they would, touching base with our financial directorate and subsequently with the Controller and Accountant General, be able to assist the police in unraveling the truth and then we will take it from there,” he added.

Background
Some NDC MPs allegedly received double salaries while serving as both Members of Parliament and Ministers or Deputy Ministers.

25 of the MPs were initially asked to report to the police, but 18 of them were later asked to disregard that invitation.

But so far, about eight of them have been interrogated by the CID are being investigated for stealing .

The Minority in Parliament has since denied the allegations against its members.

At a press conference held days ago, the Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson said the accusation is intentionally unnecessarily “criminalizing and harassing” Minority MPs.

“Government must be an indecent hurry to divert attention from its failings by its pathetic attempt to push us into submission. No wonder government ended up with eggs on its face yesterday [Monday],” he added.

Per the dictates of public service, an official who occupies both positions is entitled to a single salary, usually equal to the level of a Minister of State.