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The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party has warned former President Mahama to stop deceiving Public Sector Workers over promises to bridge the gap between them and Article 71 office holders.

In a statement issued from the office of Mr. Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, he noted that the issue raised by the former President was already on the table of President Akufo-Addo and is being dealt with the attention it deserves.

The NPP Chairman popularly known as Chairman Wontumi stated that if the former President wants Public Sector Workers and Ghanaians to take him serious, he should first of all “bridge the gap between Ghanaians and akonfem (guinea fowls) that flew under his watch to Burkina Faso” between conjecturing stories which is already being dealt with.

According to him “This address, is to serve as a reminder to him that already, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has, in accordance with, article 71 (1) of the Constitution, inaugurated a 5-Member Committee which is to make recommendations to him and to Parliament on the salaries and allowances payable, and the facilities and privileges available, to article 71 office holders.”

Full statement below...


An Address By The Ashanti Regional Chairman Of The New Patriotic Party On Former President Mahama’s False Claim To Bridge The Gap Between The Remuneration And Entitlement Of Public Sector Workers And Article 71 Office Holders


I wish to draw your attention once again to a false and empty promise by the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, to complete the process of reviewing and bridging the remuneration and entitlement of public sector workers and Article 71 office holders if voted for.

To start with, I want to state that in 2017 alone, Mr. Mahama happily received more than half a million Ghana cedis from the NPP government and never raised an objection and continues to take home thousands of cedis monthly without giving any to charity.

It is therefore absurd to have a former President whose life continues to revolve around material things lie about bridging the gap between public sector workers and Article 71 office holders. John Mahama shouldn’t even go far with his tasteless call, the matter has already been taken seriously by President Akufo-Addo and it will take a competent leader like him to executive it.

If John Mahama has run out propaganda steam and wants to rewrite the historical process started by President Nana Akufo-Addo, I Chairman Wontumi would want to tell him in the face that he doesn’t have a copyright authority and should rather channel his energy into bridging the gap between Ghanaians and the guinea fowls who flew to Burkina Faso this festive season.
I want to repeat the call again, if anyone would take him serious he has to first bridge the gap between Ghanaians and akonfem (guinea fowls) that flew under his watch to Burkina Faso.

What does Article 71 (1) and (2) of the 1992 Constitution tell us? It stipulates that the determination of the salaries and allowances of the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary paid from the Consolidated Fund would be determined by the
President, on the recommendations of a committee of not more than five persons appointed by him and acting upon the advice of the Council of State.

This address, is to serve as a reminder to him that already, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has, in accordance with, article 71 (1) of the Constitution, inaugurated a 5-Member Committee which is to make recommendations to him and to Parliament on the salaries and allowances payable, and the facilities and privileges available, to article 71 office holders.

The composition of the Committee, if he has forgotten was done on the advice of the Council State, and is chaired by Prof. Yaa Ntiamoa Baidu, an eminent scientist and marine conservationist, former pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon, and Chairperson of the Board of the Millennium Development Authority.

The Committee also has Abraham Ossei Aidooh, former Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, and one-time Member of Parliament for Tema West; Dr. Edward Kwapong, currently Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission; Dr. Eric Odruo Osae, a Chartered Accountant and Lawyer, and UNDP technical advisor to the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development; and Mrs Stella Segbawu, former Managing Director, Donewell Life Insurance Co. Ltd.

Mahama is free to comment on any public issue but must be reminded that under my watch as the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, I won’t allow him the freedom to reecho and twist the terms the committee has agreed to work on.
President Nana Akufo-Addo has tasked them to

1. to make recommendations in respect of emoluments and other privileges for article 71 office holders, as specified under the Constitution; and
2. to examine any other relevant matter which the Committee deems appropriate to its work.

It is therefore a shame for former President Mahama a man who consistently receive a monthly salary of GHC29,899 to create a false impression that he has sleepless night over the remuneration and entitlement of public sector workers.

This can only be a trick but I can assure him that it would never work. Mahama has never complained when in 2018 only, he amassed a net total of GH¢568,049.00 in his Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) account.

Elections are closer and he wants to be seen as one who cares for the ordinary Ghanaian public worker. This can’t be true, the man is trying to pull a fast one on voters who have already purposed in their heart not to vote for him in 2020.

If Mahama has any fears in his heart, I want to assure him that the Akufo-Addo led government is made of men who have toiled to set a standard in society and would never engage in the act of doling out bundles of cash to themselves and sharing of state properties.

Ghanaians are not prepared to take that anymore and Mahama isn’t our head teacher to remind us of it. I there want to state that the leadership of President Akufo-Addo would always be one to create a fair salary structure for all categories of public sector workers.

Bernard Antwi-Boasiako
Ashanti Regional Chairman
NPP