'I worry when politicians work for free' - Franklin Cudjoe

Franklin Cudjoe, Founding President of think tank IMANI, has said it is “deeply troubling” for public servants to work without being paid.

Information Minister Mustapha Hamid revealed on Saturday June 17 that all the 110 Ministers and Deputy Ministers of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government have not been paid since taking office early this year.

According to him, the processes for the payment of the Ministers have still not been completed, thus the delay.

He told TV3’s Hot Issues that the repetitive phenomenon must be dealt with since this is not the first time such a situation has arisen.

“It’s not a very good phenomenon in our country that people get employed and after one year they are not taking salaries yet, and they happen to be teachers, nurses etc. so if it’s happening to politicians, we should say that: ‘Well it’s good that it’s happening to them so that they will feel the pinch and correct the anomaly for all of us citizens’,” Mr Hamid said.

Asked how he and his colleague ministers were coping without salary, Mr Hamid said it had been “difficult”.

Mr Cudjoe has criticised authorities for the situation, indicating that “these appointees need to eat and feed their dependants”, adding: “It is not enough to say they are getting by through the grace of God and friends."

“Is it that we don't have the money? Even if as we are now reportedly hearing a revenue gap of almost GHS1.3bn for the quarter, we shouldn't encourage public servants to work without being paid.

“I worry when politicians work for free. We will have to assess the reasons for the disturbing revenue performance vis-à-vis the overall revenue maximisation strategy of the government and offer helpful solutions.”