Business News of Monday, 12 July 2021
Source: starrfm.com.gh
2021-07-12
First lady, Rebecca Akuffo-Addo and Second lady, Samira Bawumia
The Trade Union Congress(TUC) has stated that the decision by the state to pay salaries to the First and Second Ladies is demoralizing to public sector workers in the country.
According to the Union, it is difficult to understand and explain why the state is financially unstable but is able to pay some individuals by virtue of their marriage to the President and Vice President.
Speaking on the Morning Starr Monday, Deputy General Secretary of the Public Service Workers Union of the TUC John Sampah quizzed “how do we explain to our members that we have no money but we’re paying the first and second ladies? It destroys their morale.”
He reiterated “they are making the work hard for labor because how do you explain to workers that the state has no money but we are paying first and second wives and have backdated it.”
Mr Sempah maintained that “my point is that the state has no contract with the first and second ladies. You don’t give them salaries. The point is that we can’t be paying our wives salaries because they are married to the president, and “from our checks, they’ve already been paid.”
He added, “in principle, we thought there’s no legal backing for the recommendation from the committee and the president should rescind it.”
Parliament has approved payment of salaries for first and second ladies as recommended by the emoluments committee put together by the President.