Nobody is taking a dime from my salary – Murtala

The Member of Parliament for the Tamale Central Constituency, Mr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed has rubbished calls for a pay cut in the salaries of Members of Parliament to assist government return the country’s economy to normalcy.

Speaking to TV3‘s Parliamentary Correspondent in Parliament on Wednesday, March 23 monitored by GhanaPlus.com he said nobody will take a dime from his salary.

The National Democratic Congress(NDC) politician and member of the Minority Group in Parliament, however, noted government should rather reduce the size of his government to save the country some resources for development.

“Nobody is taking a dime from my salary. What we are asking this government is to reduce the size of government. What much would it contribute to salvaging the mess we are with the percentage cut by the Council of State and even Members of Parliament,” Mr Murtala said.

“The young men who are recruited at the Flag Staff House whose job is it? They are given laptop, they sit behind those laptops, monitor social media, see those who are criticizing government genuinely and they go on blistering attack on those people and those young men are paid ₵15, 000,” he alleged.

Ghanaians calls for salary cut for arms of government

There have been calls for all the three arms of government, namely the Executive, the Judicially and the legislature to cut down a percentage of their their salaries to enable government generate some funds to run the country amidst the current economic crisis confronting it.

Just yesterday, Members of the Council of State, an advisory body to the President, announced a 20% cut of their salaries till the end of the year.

The Chairman of the Council who made the announcement said, “As we were going through our routines, you and your cabinet were at a retreat over the same issues. Since yesterday, we have been fed with snippet of information regarding some of the decisions that you have made.

“We are particularly delighted to read that you and your cabinet have decided to reduce some of your emoluments and your allowances. Mr President, in tandem with your decision we as Council of State had also decided that we will reduce our monthly allowances by 20 per cent until the end of this year.”

There have also been cut in expenditures of the various state institutions among others.

Ghana is currently battling with economic difficulties a situation government has blamed it on the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian- Ukraine war currently ongoing and host of others.

The situation has brought some hardship on the Ghanaian people as prices of goods and services goes up almost on daily basis.

Source: GhanaPlus.com