Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, first lady of the Republic of Ghana has been questioned over the anger she expressed to return the allowance the State pays her.
Mrs. Akufo-Addo got angry at the people of Ghana for expressing their views over an attempt by her husband to start paying her salary monthly.
Her husband, President Akufo-Addo told Ghanaians that the country is broke so he imposed lots of taxes on the people including tax on COVID-19 after huge loans contracted in the last 5 years more than any government in history yet he has little to show.I
In spite of the challenges the country is facing, President Akufo-Addo wants to pay his wife salary the same as cabinet ministers. The Second lady to also earn same amount, Ghc21,000 without any job description.
Ghanaians are not happy the President wants to pay such salaries in this tying times. This angered Mrs. Akufo-Addo who issued a threat to return the unknown monthly allowance she receives from the State.
Below is the full statement from AWYV Questioning Madam Rebecca Akufo-Addo.
MRS.REBECCA AKUFFO’S DECISION TO REFUND ALL ALLOWANCES BEEN PAID TO HER BY THE STATE SINCE 2017 TILL DATE IS CONSIDERED HARSH AND ACRIDNESS
In an effort not to upset others or lose status in the eyes of their followers, some leaders concoct sophisticated justifications for putting off difficult decisions, and the delay often does far more damage than whatever fallout they were trying to avoid. In fact, hard decisions often get more complicated when they’re deferred. Each of us makes hundreds, if not thousands, of decisions each day. Some of these choices have larger consequences than others.
It has become a public outcry when Ghanaians heard in a news that remuneration committee recommend that the wives of the President and the Vice President should be paid salaries instead of the allowance which will be backdate from 2017.
Ghanaians became so angry by the attempt of the President and the Committee to do this to already burdened economy. The wives of the president and the Vice President are being paid allowance, why then the upgrading to 21k salary each month when the country’s economic growth is declining at a faster pace?
So many institutions, well thinking citizens and political parties were hard on government and this had forced Mrs. Rebecca Akuffo to issue a press release.
In her release, she stated that, allowance been paid to her since 2017 till date will be refund to the State.
We, members of Action Movement Youth Volunteers (AMYV) believe that the decision by the First Lady is very dangerous and this can brought her reputation into disruption.
To refund the allowance paid to her by the State when no one has ask her to do so is considered rude.
Ghana is composed of people of different nationalities and ethnicities and some of may come from a background that finds returning or refusing what belongs to at the face of heat debate rude. Yes, it is generally considered quite rude and, an even worse offense in Ghana, quite awkward to decline what belongs to you. Even if such decision, there would have to be some sort of good reason for the decline, and it needs to be done politely with a clear explanation.
Bitterness starts out small. An offense burrows its way into our hearts. We replay it in our minds, creating deep ruts that will be hard to build back up.
Our Observations:
- In our opinion, Ghanaians were concern about the unconstitutional upgrading payment from allowance to salary which was not back by any legal terms as far as our 1992 constitution was concerned.
- We have again notice that in the letter release, it was specifically talking about allowance which in an actual senses, Ghanaians were talking about salary.
- Mrs. Rebecca Akuffo’s decision to refund all allowances been paid to her by the State from 2017 till date is as a result of bitterness.
- The statement release does not state if she, Mrs. Rebecca Akuffo will decline subsequent allowances forever was also not stated in the letter.
In conclusion, if Mrs. Rebecca made up her mind to refund all allowances been paid to her by the state, we believe this is not the right time. She should have done that previously, before or during the time covid-19 was on a high rise or in the coming months and not during when there is a salary controversy.
Thank you.
BOLA RAY JNR, President of Action Movement Youth Volunteers (AMYV)
Source: Nationaltymes.com
