Demand Your Entitled Emolument Instead Of Motorbikes

The Author

Fellow Honorable local legislators and stakeholders, I bring you warm greetings and felicitations from the Donkoyianmu/Obra wogum electoral area in the Effutu Municipal Assembly in the Central region of Ghana.

As an Assembly member and a local government advocate, I have time and again espoused reasons in several of my published literatures, why the local government concept is the ideal, practical and fastest means to develop Ghana. A sober reflection on the maxim - "all development is local" will fortify my assertion. To achieve the latter objective, addressing the concerns and grievances of Assembly members; must be a priority of central government, since Assembly members to a large and greater extent, constitutes the fulcrum of the decentralization process.

As the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana(NALAG), which is the sole statutory organization mandated by law to spearhead the concerns of local government stakeholders and actors for redress by government, prepares to organize its 20th biennial delegates conference, I have a view to share with my colleague honorable Assembly members owing to the demand for motorbikes which has conspicuously gained prominence in the round-up to the delegates conference.

To be sincere, although I am oblivious of the practical benefits motorbikes would serve Assembly members vis-à-vis our core functions and responsibilities and I have in that accord added my voice to the demand for it in my published articles; the proximity of months to the end of our term of office; and the flip flops and several unfulfilled promises which had surrounded the motorbikes promise by the local government ministry through NALAG; should obviously be a source of priceless advise on our bleak chances of receiving it before our term of office elapse.

In spite of the foregoing, as we fervently pray and anxiously await the fulfillment of the motorbikes promise, I will humbly appeal to colleague Assembly members to focus timeously on the demand for monthly allowances as part of their entitled emolument from their respective district Assembly's as provided by the 1992 constitution of the Republic of Ghana, and the statute governing local governance in the country, i.e the Local Governance Act, Act 936 of 2016, before the dissolution of their Assembly's next year.

Article 250(2) of our nation's constitution, and section 11(2) of Act 936 of 2016; mandate every district Assembly to pay befitting emolument to its Presiding member, and other members(Assembly members) out of the Assembly's own resources. Strictly speaking, the above quoted provisions constitute the legal basis which informed all district Assemblies in the country to pay monthly allowances to their Presiding members since the inception of the local government system under this fourth Republican democratic dispensation.

Fact is, if Presiding members across the nation are paid allowances on monthly basis pursuant to the dictate of article 250(2) of the constitution, and section 11(2) of Act 936 of 2016; then Assembly members should equally be granted same privileges and courtesies under the same legal provisions. A district Assembly which had with discretion refused to fully enforce the above constitutional imperative, should be compelled by its Assembly members whose legitimate rights had been infringed upon to enforce same through lawful means or process.

Paragraph 7 becomes more urgent and time-bound for enforcement when the present administration led by H.E. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo emphatically promised in its manifesto prior to the 2016 elections at chapter 13 page 142; to improve the allowances paid to Assembly members.

Available research suggests that, district Assemblies approximated at 90% across the country do not pay monthly allowances to Assembly members at their respective districts. They have arbitrary given partial interpretation to article 250(2) and section 11(2) of Act 936. Fast forward, one would reasonably question the basis or import of the manifesto promise/pledge; although same is also enough grounds to remind government of a sacred promise which has not been thoroughly discussed, left alone to be honoured.

I end by encouraging colleagues at all district Assemblies whose fundamental rights and privileges of receiving their entitled emolument such as monthly allowances, befitting ex-gratia etc has been infringed upon and unlawfully violated; to channel their energies in demanding the abovementioned due them as enshrined in the constitution and statute of local governance, instead of agitating for motorbikes. Payment of monthly allowances to honorable Assembly members would dignify our office, and further make it robust, attractive, competitive, and above all; effective tool for local development.

Afehyia pa!

Nathaniel Papa Akyeampong

Assembly Member,

Donkoyianmu/Obra Wogum, Effutu.

[email protected]