“This review should among others aim at reforming the judiciary and tackle head-on issues on ex-gratia payments and other matters of Article 71 emoluments,” Mahama said at a meeting with lawyers of the NDC.
Article 71 (1) and (2) of the 1992 Constitution stipulates that the determination of the salaries and allowances of the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary paid from the Consolidated Fund would be determined by the President, on the recommendations of a committee of not more than five persons appointed by him and acting upon the advice of the Council of State.
In determining the salaries of the President, his Ministers, and political appointees, as well as the members of the Council of State, the Constitution states that Parliament will determine that based on the advice of the same committee.
Article 71 officeholders include the President, the Vice-President, the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice, and the Justices of the Supreme Court.
The rest are Members of Parliament (MPs), Ministers of State, political appointees, and public servants with salaries charged to the Consolidated Fund but enjoying special constitutional privileges.
In June 2019, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in accordance with, Article 71 (1) of the 1992 Constitution inaugurated a 5-member Committee which is to make recommendations to him and Parliament on the salaries and allowances payable, and the facilities and privileges available, to article 71 office holders.
The terms of reference of the Committee are to make recommendations in respect of emoluments and other privileges for article 71 office holders, as specified under the Constitution; and to examine any other relevant matter which the Committee deems appropriate to its work.
The President in the new salary arrangement will take home a monthly pay of GH¢47,277, thus a GH¢4,298 increase on his previous 2019 salary of GH¢42,979.
The Vice President takes a new salary of GH¢39,397, an increase of GH¢3,581 on his previous 2019 salary of GH¢35,816.
The Speaker of Parliament under the new salary structure will receive a monthly salary of GH¢35,021, a GH¢3,183 increase on his previous 2019 salary of GH¢31,838.
Members of Parliament and High Court Judges have been pegged on the same salary structure with a significant increase of GH¢2,547 on their previous 2019 salary of GH¢25,470 as they will now receive a monthly take-home pay of GH¢28,017 as recommended by the Presidential Committee on Emoluments.
