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The Minister of Information and Media Relations, Mahama Ayariga has refuted claims by the Minority that the President�s decision to take a 10 percent pay cut is a political gimmick saying it is a voluntary decision to support the economy. �Well this is not a political gimmick, I think that there are genuine reasons why the President and his appointees have agreed to make sacrifices to support the economy especially in these times when we will have to make serious adjustments,� he said. He was responding to Deputy Minority leader; Dominic Nitiwul�s who described the pay cut the announced by Finance Minister, Seth Tekpeh as a political gimmick. Mr. Nitiwul said if the President intended to take 10% of his salary, he could have been done so through an administration directive and not through the budget which must be accompanied by an Appropriation Act of Parliament. But explaining government�s stance on the Eyewitness News Mr. Ayariga said that since the decision is not an imposition by the president but a voluntary decision by all members of the executive, �implementing it is not a matter that has any constitutional challenges.� He further explained that contrary to the Minority�s claims that since it was mentioned in the budget, there would be the need for an Appropriation Bill, he indicated that �it was mentioned in the budget statement so that everybody will know the sacrifices that members of the executives are compelled to make given the situation and the sacrifices that every other Ghanaian has to make.� He also dismissed claims that despite the executives� would find ways to make up for the pay cut. �I want to assure you that we are really committed and we will not in any way try to undermine the vision of the President and to ridicule this very important expression of commitment that we have made publicly. As public officers we remain very committed to the President�s vision to fight corruption�as the leaders (ministers) we even have a higher responsibility to monitor and ensure that we ourselves set the example,� he assured Ghanaians.