The Member of Parliament for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has indicated his preparedness to have his salary slashed by up to 40%, but he is unsure whether he should spend it on his constituents or give it to the government.
According to the Ranking Member of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs Committee, the New Patriotic Party government led by President Akufo-Addo is notorious for extravagant expenditure on irrelevant things, so he cannot trust them to put his money to good use.
In a post on his Facebook page on Thursday, March 24, the lawmaker asked his followers to advise him on how to utilise the 40% of his salary.
My dilemma: though I am convinced and determined to take a pay cut by as much as 40%, I am torn between giving it to a government that has proven over the years to lack frugality, and whether I shouldn’t rather be spending the cut on my constituency social initiatives.
Your advice pls? Ablakwa wrote.
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His post follows the government’s announcement of pay cuts for members of the executive, State-owned Enterprises, and the agreement of the Council Of State members to let go of parts of their salaries to help redeem Ghana’s struggling economy.
A section of the public and some NPP MPs have entreated the lawmakers to follow suit to accept pay cuts, but some NDC MPs have vehemently rejected the call.
On Tuesday, Ablakwa made headlines after he donated his entire two-month salary to 87 national service personnel posted to his constituency.
He explained that the gesture was his contribution to give the personnel some relief as the government has failed to pay them for three months.
He then urged the government to pay the suffering national service personnel across the country who have not received their allowances for the past three months.
Earlier today I donated my entire two-month salary as MP (January and February 2022) to the North Tongu National Service Scheme District Office as my modest contribution to help cushion the 87 national service personnel posted to my beloved constituency who have not received their allowances from government for some three months.
The Scheme’s Director informs me all personnel have now received their direct MoMo transfers.
I really wish I was in the position to do more to alleviate the plight of these dedicated personnel who gladly agreed to serve their country in my largely rural holy district.
May I appeal to government to expedite action in paying all accumulated arrears owed our gallant but vulnerable national service personnel. In all sincerity, the paltry allowances of national service personnel shouldn’t be left out anytime monthly wages of public sector workers are processed for payment, Okudzeto wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday, March 22.
The National Democratic Congress MP is noted for such philanthropic gestures. In December last year, when the government failed to pay trainees of the struggling Nation Builders Corps, Ablakwa paid the personnel within his constituency and donated food items to them to enable them to enjoy Christmas.
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