Dr Charles Wereko-Brobbey, the Chief Policy Officer at the Ghana Institute of Public Policy Options, GIPPO, has called Akufo-Addo’s promise of appointees continuing to give up 30% of their salaries a mere cosmetic measure with no tangible benefits.
Speaking on Joy Fm Monday, October 31st 2022, Dr Wereko-Brobbey, popularly known as Tarzan, said the more judicious measure to save money is to downsize the government.
According to him, having that many appointees give up part of their salary doesn’t save that much money as they still rack up other costs to the nation such as the freebies they get and the cost of maintaining their staff.
“Everybody keeps talking about [the] downsizing of government, the government is far too large. Too many ministers, irrelevant development authorities, too many district assemblies and this issue of saying that Ministers will continue to give up 30% of salary, it is a completely useless thing to push.
“Because it is not the nominal salary of the appointee that matters, it is the on-cost to the nation,” he stressed citing the fact that all of the appointees will be entitled to accommodation, security, PAs, etc., which will affect the cost of running the government.
“Downsizing the government actually makes a substantial difference in the expenditure that we are having,” he added.
During his speech addressing the state of the economy, President Akufo-Addo said the earlier pledge by government appointees to waive 30% of their salaries will remain in effect into the new Year.
“We have decided also to continue with the policy of a thirty percent (30%) cut in the salaries of political office holders including the President, Vice President, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MMDCEs, and SOE appointees in 2023, just as we will continue with the thirty percent (30%) cut in discretionary expenditures of Ministries, Departments and Agencies.” he said.
Source: theGhanaianVoice.Com