Double salary saga: Parliament's bi-partisan committee to commence work

The two-member bi-partisan committee set up by Parliament to investigate allegations of double payment of emoluments to some Members of Parliament (MP) and Ministers of the erstwhile Mahama administration is set to commence its work.

Dr Anthony Akoto-Osei, the Minister of Monitoring and Evaluation and the MP for Ho Central, Mr Benjamin Kpodo are the two members of the committee.

The committee which had been formed earlier before the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) commenced its investigations had the MP for Ajumako Enyan Essiam, Mr Cassiel Ato Forson representing the minority.

But according to the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, since Mr Ato Forson compromised himself by organising a press conference on the matter, he had to be replaced.

“Initially, it was the honourable Ato Forson who was to join Dr Akoto-Osei to begin this exercise. Unfortunately before the committee itself could start, Ato Forson took a position…and we thought that by action he had compromised himself. And so his replacement is honourable Kpodo,” he said.

Mr Kyei-Mensah Bonsu said the committee is supposed to bring clarity to the issue and put matters to rest.

“I believe that in a couple of days they would…with the Controller and Accountant General, they should be able to assist the police in unravelling the truth.”

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Background

The CID is investigating some MPs who served as ministers in the erstwhile NDC administration for allegedly receiving double salaries.

According to the police, 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”.

Some of the Ministers are said to have taken double salaries for four years, while others received double salaries for two and three years.

At least 10 of the former Ministers have since appeared before the Police CID to aid investigations.

Former Ministers; Inusah Fuseini, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe Ghansah and Eric Opoku met the CID on Tuesday.