Mahama ministers deny taking double salary

The Minority in Parliament has accused President Akufo-Addo of using the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to harass them over trumped-up charges related to the taking of double salaries by some ministers under the erstwhile Mahama administration.

The CID has reportedly begun a probe of former government officials accused of drawing double salaries and has already issued invites to some of the ministers.

However, according to the Minority MP's led by a former Deputy Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, the move is an attempt to divert attention from the failures of government.

"In a bizarre twist as we were readying to appear before the CID this week beginning from yesterday considering what we have been grouped to appear on separate days, the CID called some of our colleagues to inform them that they were no longer required to appear as they had mistakes with 18 of the 25 originally contacted.

"Yes, you hear me right, as many as 18 of the contacted had been withdrawn on the basis of mistakes committed by the government. Government must really be in an indecent hurry to divert attention from its failings... No wonder government ended up with eggs in its face yesterday".

Mr Forson said the current state of affairs had resulted in the CID committing countless blunders and losing its credibility.

"It is sad that the hitherto respected and highly professional CID is being forced by excessive political manoeuvring and underhand tactics to make the noble organisation blunder and lose its credibility.

"Following this embarrassment to government they have now resorted to an arena of propaganda...".

“Our attention has been drawn to a publication in today’s Daily Guide Newspaper alleging that some 22 Article 71 appointees of the erstwhile Mahama administration were overpaid while serving as ministers, deputy ministers and members of Parliament. The said publication can only be a figment of the imagination of the government that continues to betray the trust of the people. We must say that contrary to the claims by the Daily Guide, no appointee has offered to make refund of double salaries, we challenge the Daily Guide to adduce evidence of this claim,” he added.

According to a report in the Daily Guide newspaper, the ministers, who were Members of Parliament (MPs), were drawing salaries as MPs and at the same time receiving their monthly salaries as ministers, contrary to the law.

Some of the ministers involved are said to have agreed to refund the moneys back to the state when they were confronted by security agents.