Eugene Boakye Antwi, the Member of Parliament for Subin Constituency
• Eugene Boakye Antwi claims MPs are overburdened and treated unfairly
• He has called for an overhaul of Article 71
• He also wants government to provide cars for MPs
Eugene Boakye Antwi, the Member of Parliament for Subin Constituency has decried what he claims to be the unfair treatment meted out to Members of Parliament with respect to the application of the provisions of Article 71 Office Holders.
He is unhappy that whiles persons within the bracket of Article 71 enjoy full benefits outlined in law, MPs have their benefits tied to certain conditions.
In light of this, Eugene Boakye Antwi is calling for a total amendment of Article 71 to protect MPs from the unfairness.
The Subin lawmaker whiles making submissions on the Wednesday, July 14 edition of Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana program said that unlike the other beneficiaries who by virtue of their offices have no direct engagement with the general public, MPs have to spend part of their benefits on some social events such as funerals, school fees of constituents among others.
He claimed to have spent close GH¢100,000 on funeral donations over the last four years.
“I think the constitution has outlived its usefulness and we must amend it. Unit committee member, no salary, no budget; assembly member, no salary and no budget. Everything happens in the community and there are looking up to the MPs. Who goes to the Chief Justice’s house to beg for money? How many people can have access to the Chief Justice or IGP or Jean Mensa or Josephine Nkrumah or Nana Otuo Serebour. As an MP try to turn someway away and you’ll hear the insults and undermining.
“And in all this you have to draw the same salaries as those people under Article 71. If I tell you the amount of ‘nsawa’ I have made for the last four years, you’ll weep for me. I’m heading towards GH¢100,000 and it all comes from the salaries.
On the subject of a $28million car loan
He questioned why MPs would be made to buy their own cars and be chauffeured by their own drivers when the executive and judiciary enjoy free cars and services of paid drivers.
“This is the unfairness of MPs and why we have become endangered species in the eyes of people in the country. Judges from the High, Appeals and Supreme Court get free vehicles. Government buys it for them, fuel and service the cars. Everything is done for them. ”A minister who is not an MP comes through the backdoor and gets three vehicles to himself. The MP non-minister buys his own car. Since February, I have been paying GH¢6000 every month but I’ve not seen the car. A minister walks into his ministry after being sworn in by the president and his car is waiting for him plus driver.
“Some MPs have come from far and ride in Ubers to come to the house. Factor in the servicing of our cars and we are not being treated fairly. I have been a minister and a minister-non-MP,” he said.
