Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, former Deputy Health Minister, has supported the decision to pay salaries to President and Vice President’s spouses.
There is an ongoing debate on the payment of salaries to wives of President and Vice President with some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) going against the decision.
Also, NPP Bono Regional Chairman, Abronye DC has dragged the Attorney General to the Supreme Court over the decision.
He’s asked the Supreme Court for a “declaration that, the approval by Parliament to pay salaries to the First and Second Ladies is inconsistent with ARTICLE 71 CLAUSES 1 AND 2 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and consequently be declared null, void and unenforceable’’.
Abronye DC also wants the court to order that “per Articles 108 and 178 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana; parliament cannot, on its own accord, initiate or approve payment of any such emoluments; which would necessarily be paid from public funds; without a bill to that effect emanating from and introduced by the Government and dully passed into law’’.
Speaking on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’, Dr. Okoe Boye wonders why this issue has become a big deal for Ghanaians, particularly the opposition party.
To him, whether to pay or not pay the First and Second Ladies won’t make any of them broke.
Citing the wife of President Nana Akufo-Addo, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, as an example; Dr. Okoe Boye noted that her husband is ably capable of taking care of her with or without her allowances.
He also added that Mrs. Akufo-Addo is rich enough to cater for herself.
“Honestly, for me, one thing I know for sure and can say on this platform is that President Akufo-Addo can take good care of Mrs. Rebecca. The second thing I can say is that the first time I saw Ghc 40,000 in cash given to me to use it for my political activity or use to work in my town, it came from her. She gave it to me when we were in opposition. For her to give me such money even when we were in opposition without power, nobody can convince me unless the State pays her, she won’t make ends meet,” he emphasized.
