I’ll Refund GH¢900,000 I Received Since 2017 – Rebecca Akufo-Addo
First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo has reacted to the prof Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu committee report, rejecting Salary Payment .
She hinted that she had decided to waive the privilege of payments attached to her office
The First Lady will refund close to GH¢900,000 paid her since 2017
First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo disclosed how much money had been paid to her by the state by way of informal allowances since she became First Lady in 2017.
According to her office, since the assumption of office by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, she had received close to GH¢900,000, which she would refund in full to the state.
In a statement dated July 12, and signed by Korkor Bleboo, Director of Communications at the Office of the First Lady, Mrs Akufo-Addo said even though she did not request to be paid any allowance, she will refund the amount in view of the public outcry that has followed the recent disclosure that presidential spouses were to be formally remunerated per an emoluments committee report.
“The First Lady in consultation with the President of the Republic has decided to refund all monies paid to her as allowances from the date of the president’s assumption to office i.e. January 2017, to date, amounting to GHc 899,097.84.
The statement continued: “The First Lady has also decided not to accept any monies that have been allocated to her pursuant to the Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee, as approved by Parliament.
“She is doing this as a purely peronal decision, without prejudice to the rights of others, and not to undermine the propriety of the process undertaken by Parliament,” the statement added.
The committee report stated that the First Lady should enjoy the same salary as a cabinet minister who is also a member of parliament.
The second lady on the other hand will at the end of every month get the same amount as a cabinet minister who is not a member of parliament.
Government has been dragged to court by two opposition Members of Parliament who are challenging the legality of the committee’s recomendations – the two are Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor (South Dayi) and Clement Apaak (Builsa South).
Also in court with the same demands is Abronye DC, the Bono East regional chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party.