• They both could earn GH¢2,765,880 as basic salaries

• Some Minority MPs have however sued the government over the issue

Following the parliamentary approval of the recommendations of the Professor Ntiamoa-Baidu Emolument Committee and the formalization of same by the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the country will pay at least GH¢2,765, 880 to First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Second Lady Samira Bawumia as basic salaries.

The committee in its report which was approved by the seventh parliament recommended that “Spouses of sitting and former Presidents and Vice Presidents should be catered for by the State as part of privileges extended to the Presidents/Vice President.”

A report of the committee which has been intercepted by GhanaWeb states that the First Lady should enjoy the same salary as a cabinet minister who is also a member of parliament.

Whereas the second lady on the other hand will at the end of every month get the same amount as a cabinet minister who is not a member of parliament.

The committee also recommended an annual increment of salaries of all office holders under Article 71 of the constitution at a certain percentage.

Based on this metric, the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo was supposed to paid GH¢24,996 monthly. This figure when multiplied by the 12 months of the year comes up to GH¢299,952.

The amount increases slightly in 2018 with a monthly salary of GH¢27,496 which in twelves months would give GH¢329,952.

In 2019, her monthly salary is GH¢30,246. A multiplication of same by 12 months will give you GHC362,952.

The monthly figure for the year 2020 is GH¢33,270 which approximates GHC399,240 for the year.

The total amount accrued by the First Lady between 2017 and 2020 will be GH ¢1,392, 096.

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Samira Bawumia’s figures

For the 12 months of 2017, the government of Ghana will pay a total of GH ¢296,016 to Samira Bawumia which when broken down will give on GH ¢24, 668. The figures goes a bit in 2018 with accumulated salary of GH ¢325, 608 for the year. A division of the number by the 12 months of the year will amount to GH ¢27,134.

In 2019, the Second Lady will be paid GH ¢29, 848 every month which when summed up by December equate to GH¢358,176. The 2020 figure is GH¢393, 984 which means that she would earn GH¢32,832.

A summation of Samira Bawumia’s salaries for the four years which make up the first term of the Akufo-Addo administration is GH¢1,373,784.

In essence, the state will pay GH¢2,765, 880 to the first and second ladies as salaries for the first term of their husbands’ reign.

It is worth noting that these are the committee’s recommended figures which were okayed by Parliament in 2019.

The implementation of the approved report has hit a snag as some minority MPs are questioning the constitutionality of the decision at the Supreme Court.

In a suit filed on Thursday, July 8, 2021, the MPs for South Dayi and Builsa South, Rockson Dafeamakpor and Clement Apaak respectively said that the committee went beyond its boundaries in roping in the payment of benefits of the first and second ladies in its work.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com