3 Former ministers face CID over alleged double salary issue

Three former ministers of the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) government on Monday appeared before the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service in connection with allegations that they had received double salaries.

In an interview in Accra, the Director-General of the CID, DCOP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, did not give the names of those involved but said they had been divided into three groups, with each batch scheduled to appear on a specific time and day.

The first group includes sitting MPs, the second comprises those who are no longer in Parliament, while the last batch includes those who are still MPs and were ministers in the previous administration.

Per the arrangement, she said, another batch of three former ministers was scheduled to appear on a specific date.

No suspension

She dismissed reports that the CID had suspended its investigations into the allegation of double salaries received by some former NDC ministers who were also MPs.

She explained that the former ministers who were invited by the CID to appear on a specific time and day had all honoured their invitations and answered questions in respect of the allegation.

DCOP Addo-Danquah said the former ministers collected money between 2013 and 2015 and because the money was paid in bulk, the police were investigating the matter to ascertain whether it was ex gratia or not.

Due process

She assured members of the public that the police would carry out thorough investigations and due process would be followed.

It has emerged that some MPs who served as ministers in the erstwhile NDC administration received double salaries.

The police said the alleged action by the MPs “is contrary to Section 124 (1) of the Criminal and other Offences Act 1960 (Act 29), as amended in 2012, Act 849.  Section 124 relates to the offence of stealing”.

Media reports showed that a good number of the ministers who served under former President John Mahama took double salaries for four years, while others received double salaries for two and three years, probably because they were reshuffled.

In 2012, four of the ministers took double salaries and are currently not serving in Parliament, but by 2013 the double salaried appointees had increased to 22, while in 2014 about 18 were said to be involved.

Appointees

In 2015 and 2016, 15 and 12 appointees took double salaries, respectively.

From 2012 to 2016 when the NDC was in office, some of the appointees were captured in all the data collated as having received double salaries.

The list showed that the appointees received double salaries at least once a month, while others received them monthly throughout the years.

Initially, 25 NDC MPs were said to have been invited by the CID, but the Minority in Parliament held a press conference last Tuesday, April 10, 2018 to debunk the allegation.