They should find their own jobs - Ghanaians disagree with salary payment for 1st and 2nd ladies

The public discontentment against the recommendation by the Prof Ntiamoa-Badu Kobi Committee to formalise the payment of allowances to first and second ladies of the republic into salaries continues to grow.

In a recent interview with some cross section of the public following news of the committee's recommendation, they expressed that unlike the President and Vice President, their spouses are not voted for or appointed and therefore do not qualify for salary payment from the public purse.

According to one of such persons who disagrees with the payment of salaries to the first and second ladies, they do not hold any official capacity in government and are therefore at liberty to find their own means of making an income instead of depending on state allowances and salaries.

"The first and second ladies play no official role in our government therefore I do not think they deserve to be paid any salary. They are supposed to work thier own jobs. As a trader my profits come to me alone and not my husband as well. He works his one job so how do you expect him to be paid by virtue of the work I do? I disagree with them being paid salaries.

It is a personal choice to help your spouse in their work. If I close my shop for a day and then go ahead to assist my husband do his work, he is at liberty to give me something from his own salary but I don't expect his employer to pay me as well. It doesn't work like that," she said.

In the view of another individual the decision only goes to confirm the self-centeredness of politicians considering that Parliament gave it's approval to the committee's recommendations.

There were however those who held that the decision to pay salaries to the spouses of the first and second gentlemen of the land is in order.

"I don't think this is any big deal because as a president there is a lot of burden placed on you which requires the help of your spouse. So it is good we pay their wives. In the end they help a lot of people. We need to set a standard for the payment of salaries to first and second ladies because they contribute a lot. If it is the money we think is too much we can bring it down a bit," a man said.

Per the recommendation of the committee which was adopted by the government, the second and first ladies are to be paid a monthly salary with the first lady said to be paid as much as $3500 a month. The amount was also to be backdated to 2017.

However in a related development, the first lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo and the second lady, Hajia Samira Bawumia following public reactions have announced their decisions to turn down the monthly salary.

Mrs Akufo-Addo has since gone ahead to issue a cheque for a refund of allowances she has received over the period.