NPP commends First and Second ladies for refunding allowances

The ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) has commended the First and Second ladies of the country for refunding all allowances paid them by the state amidst recent public outcry over their approved salaries.

They have also commended them for their decision not to accept the approved salaries for presidential spouses in the future.

The Deputy Communication Director of the party, Mr Richard Asante Yeboah who made the commendation on TheKeyPoint on TV3 said the party was excited they made the decision, all though, the two had worked for it and was deserving of the allowances.

In the discussions monitored by GhanaPlus.com, he indicated, paying allowances to the current presidential spouses shouldn’t have been a reason for the uproar witnessed in the country in the past weeks, most especially,  because the practice had been in existence for over two decades.

“I think we would want to applaud the first and second ladies for the decision taken to refund whatever money they have been paid to them from the time they assumed office as first and second ladies,”  he said.

“……I am excited that they chose to refund the money and also said that they are not going to take any future money that we say, we would want to pay to them,” Mr Asante Yeboah added.

First and Second Ladies refund allowances

The First lady and wife of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo and the Second lady and wife of the Vice President Nana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Mrs Samira Bawumia  on Tuesday July 13, returned all allowances paid them by the state as presidential spouses since 2017.

The decision was as a result of public uproar following the announcement of an approved salaries for the first and second ladies including that of spouses of former Presidents and Vice Presidents by the Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.

The said salaries was a formalization of allowances which had been in existence since the administration of the former President, Jerry John Rawlings.

The Presidential spouses were to be paid same as cabinet ministers, upon a recommendation of the Yaa Ntiamoah-Baidu Commission set up in 2019 and approved by the 7^th Parliament on the January 6^th 2021.

Source: GhanaPlus.com