Founder of the All People’s Congress (APC), Hassan Ayariga
Founder of the All People’s Congress, Hassan Ayariga has made a strong case for spouses of the President and Vice President to be paid as recommended by the Professor Ntiamoah-Baidu committee.
The committee recommends the payment of monthly emoluments to the First Lady and Second Lady same as ministers.
The committee was in 2019 was tasked to review payments of Article 71 officeholders.
This particular recommendation, which was approved by the last Parliament, has stirred controversy with the Minority already heading to the Supreme Court for interpretation.
Speaking on TV3’s Midday Live on Saturday, July 10, a two-time presidential candidate, Mr Ayariga, said the world over wives of presidents take certain key decisions at the blind side of the governed.
“They console the president when the president is not happy. They make certain decisions for the president to come out and make good decisions.
“They support the president in the daily activities of the president’s day-to-day work as a president.
“You can find out from all the presidents in the world without their wives, they wouldn’t have been where they have gotten to in terms of development.”
The former member of the People’s National Convention (PNC) cited how ordinary husbands even consider their wives as their best partners.
“They give us the moral support for us to be able to do and manage our affairs. So if we say such people should not be given the opportunity to get minimum salary, do you know the kind of trauma they go through when the president is not happy?”
He insisted that there are many institutions whose heads take more salaries than the president.
He, therefore, said not only should their spouses be given salaries but the presidents should be increased.
“Even that salary related to the minister is even too small for them. You need to be a politician’s wife to put yourself in the shoe and understand the trauma you go through as a politician’s wife.”