Blame parliament for public outrage over presidential spouses emoluments – Lawyer

• Lawyer Yaw Oppong says Parliament should take the blame regarding controversies on presidential spouses salary

• He said the Prof Ntiamoa-Baidu only proposed

• He noted parliament needed to review the recommendations submitted by the committee

Lawyer Yaw Oppong, has argued that the parliament of Ghana should be blamed for the controversies that surround Prof Ntiamoa-Baidu recommendations that presidential spouses should be paid salaries.

Speaking on Accra-based Citi FM, Oppong, a member of the Akufo-Addo legal team in the just-ended Election Petition said that parliament needed to review the recommendations submitted by the committee and either approve or reject them.

Oppong explained, “The committee only makes recommendations. If there is blame, we should blame the report from Parliament [which is to check some provisions] and others that we think are overburdening the public purse.

“I do not support the position that spouses of former or current presidents and vice presidents should specifically be given monies by the State.”

He noted there should be an urgent need for finality to be brought to the matter.

He said such allowances have consistently been paid to past and incumbent presidential spouses since 2001 when former President John Agyekum Kufuor assumed office and it is a good gesture that some beneficiaries of the allowances have returned them to the State’s coffers.

“I am happy that some have seen the need to return it. It is a personal choice and a personal decision.”