Finance Minister Should Have Forgone All Benefits As Leader of Public Purse – COPEC

The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers Ghana (COPEC Ghana) says Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, should have led the charge for government’s economic recovery programme by forgoing all his benefits.

Executive Secretary of the Chamber, Duncan Amoah, speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show said such an initiative would show that Mr Ofori-Atta is setting an example for others to follow.

According to him, government cutting the discretionary spending of officials by an additional 10% and the salaries of Heads of SOEs by 30%, although a good measure, is not enough to help officials appreciate the plight of Ghanaians as their remaining salary would still be substantial to combat the “financial pandemic.”

Interacting with host, Benjamin Akakpo on Friday, he said, “On the issue of cutting back some of the salary and allowances to be given is a good measure.

“However, there are quite a number of Ghanaians who don’t even have salary to be cut. So for them, if you are getting your benefit and you are cutting part of your benefit off, it is up to you guys but what comes to the ordinary Ghanaian, that is what most of us were looking out for.

“In other counties, they are quite certain that times are rough and so, France will put out $2 billion to say I’m going to offset about 17 for every litre you buy. That is what they are putting back in the pocket of ordinary people.”

He, therefore, said, “I’m not certain the Finance Minister did put anything really significant back in the pocket of Ghanaians aside they cutting their appointees benefits and all that.”

“As the leader of government purse, we would have been happy to hear the Finance Minister himself say that he is going to forgo all such benefits and he would also forgo every other. Just to be quite clear that he is indeed setting an example and precedent to follow in these difficult times.

But if it is across the board, if somebody is taking ¢100,000 already and you cut them by 30%, they are still comfortable as opposed to the other person who gets less than a ¢1000,” Mr Amoah continued.

Source: myjoyonline