First and Second ladies, Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Samira Bawumia
The government has made a loan of $20m for the purchase of cars by members of parliament
The government is also set to pay salaries to the first and second ladies
Some Ghanaians on social media are unhappy with the two stories
Ghanaians were on Wednesday, July 7, 2021 hit with two major stories around two arms of government – a $28 million car loan facility for Members of Parliament and the formalization of an emolument package for the spouses of the President and his Vice.
With regards the former, the Ministry of Finance is contracting a loan package of $28 million for MPs, which will see each of them get $100,000; to buy official cars for their work.
With respect to the latter, the president agreed to a proposal from a five-member emolument committee which was approved by the seventh parliament okaying the payment of salaries to the First and Second ladies.
The new agreement indicates the first and second ladies will enjoy benefits and allowances like Article 71 office holders.
These two stories dominated the social media space on Wednesday with questions over the soundness of both.
Majority of social media users were furious that the country that claims to be bedeviled with debts is undertaking further borrowing to embark on a project that in their wisdom brings little benefit to the ordinary citizen.
Some also believe that the MPs, particularly the NDC MPs who have in the past few weeks positioned themselves as patriots should live by their principles by rejecting the offer.
On the issue of the salaries for the first and second ladies, some Ghanaians cannot seem to fathom why the government would even consider such a move.
They question the contribution of the two offices to the national affairs and examined if there will be value for money.
Others also clarified that the move by government is a formalization of an age-old practice of paying allowances to first ladies.
Below are some tweets
Timeline Hypocrisy lmao. when Nana Addo and NPP dey messop they drag both NPP and NDC when Mahama mesop NDC p3 dem dey blame tsw
— Twilight????????????☠️ (@the_marcoli_boy) July 7, 2021
NABCO trainees chose Nana Addo over Mahama. Nana Addo chose his wife over NABCO trainees.
Indeed, life is full of choices.????
— Citizen Kay (@Citizen__Kay) July 7, 2021
Nana Addo en Wife is behind this, Fear Women eii????????
First Lady Sam George Twene Jonas#FixTheCountryNow pic.twitter.com/eBssJvsiOz
— ca. (@chrisabotsi) July 7, 2021
If you really know how Nana Addo laughs like this picture really go bore you waaa????????????????????aswear pic.twitter.com/6e8XK0s0l3
— Tarzan 16th July???????? (@mmoaNkoaa) July 7, 2021
Being a First Lady in Ghana is Now an Occupation which deserves A salary and Back pay.. I mean Nana Addo no dey give Chop money or What?????????
— RexCess???????????????????? (@RexfordKingsley) July 7, 2021
Ghanaians ankasa Kwasia hypocrisy wae dey worry we. Nana Addo and NPP Dey destroy the country and you want to drag Mahama and the NDC in to it. What the NDC do? This Kwasia Government Dey bee you?
— Ara Maestro ???????????? (@_MukadasMaestro) July 7, 2021
This isn’t important. Samira needs that monthly cheque so she can get a new dress we’ll awe at. Focus on the important news, tv3. https://t.co/0zlUXUmUlM
— ???????????? ????????????????????????????️⃤ (@nakwaati) July 7, 2021
The crazy part about Akufo-Addo and Bawumia paying their wives is that they are backdating the payments to January 2017.
Cabinet Ministers earn about GHC21,000. That means as it stands today, we owe Samira and Rebecca GHS1,134,000 each for marrying their husbands.
God help us
— Nat G. Tetteh???????? (@NatGTetteh) July 7, 2021
Make dem pay university graduate with no experience 20k ana ? for what exactly, buying Waakye ?
Without spouses our leaders will sell Ghana to Chinese & use proceeds on slay queens ? Trust me the pay is worth it, without Samira, Dr Bawumia wouldn’t be doing well with our economy https://t.co/hR5HgurNHk
— mR sA!Nt (@MrSaint__) July 7, 2021
Dear NDC & NPP MPs, let’s pretend you don’t know about the $28m for the V8, or that Finance minister “made a mistake” ask yourself; do you really need another V8? Does your constituents have water, electricity and jobs?
most importantly will you reject the money? ????????
— Cement Slayer (@Bridget_Otoo) July 7, 2021
I now understand why Asamoah Gyan intentionally spoil the Penalty.. if he scored like them go take the money buy cars give MPs. Thank you Baby jet you’re finally vindicated … Nobody go troll you again.
— Don???????? (@Opresii) July 7, 2021
According to Dr Abdallah of the Korlebu Neurosurgery Dept, $50million can get Ghana a new ultramodern Cardio Unit to serve the whole country. Govt says there’s no money. But they have $31.5mil to blow on MPs and Council of state cars. This is not a serious country.
— Nat G. Tetteh???????? (@NatGTetteh) July 7, 2021
Meanwhile, you can nominate personalities and organisations for the GhanaWeb Excellence Awards, the people’s choice award scheme aimed at acknowledging personalities, groups, and organisations who have contributed immensely to the development of Ghana.
Nominations are unlimited and end on August 31, 2021.
Below are the seventeen categories and their criteria to guide your nominations.