Ignore Former MPs’ Request for Payment of Salary Arrears - Auditor-General tells Chief of Staff

Ghana’s Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo has implored the Chief of Staff, Frema Osei Opare to disregard a request from the Forum of Former Members of Parliament (FFMP), asking for their salary arrears to be paid.

These former MPs, have requested the payment of arrears of salaries and emoluments totalling over ¢29.7 million.

Frema Osei Opare had earlier asked the Daniel Domelovo to conduct an audit verification on the request of the aggrieved former legislators.

But Domelovo in response asked the Chief of Staff, who is part of the MPs, to ignore the request.

 “I wish to strongly advise that you ignore the request for additional payment being demanded by the FFMP because their argument that the request is based on recommendations of or lapses in the Chinery Hesse Committee (CHC) report is invalid.

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“The impression is being created that it is the Committee and not the President who determines the emoluments for the legislature,” he added.

Mr Domelevo citing Article 71(1) of the Constitution said that law provides that the salaries and allowances payable, in this regard “shall be determined by the President on the recommendations of a committee.”

Mr Domelevo also suggested that the claims by the FFMP are invalid considering the rejection of the CHC report for 2005 to 2009.

He further asserted that, it may also amount to an abuse of power or conflict of interest, in making additional “payment (20% salary increase per annum for four years) to former Members of Parliament (covering a period of 10 to 14 years ago) especially when some of them are now the executive,” Mr. Domelevo indicated in his letter.