Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah, a former UN senior governance advisor has suggested to government to go beyond cutting the salaries of the executive to help in stabilising the economy.
The executive and Council of State members have agreed to cut their salaries and allowances by 30% and 20%, respectively.
However, reacting to the development on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (24 March), Agyeman-Duah said the executive must avoid extravagant lifestyle to save cost.
“As I said earlier they are not adequate. I heard that Parliament has been called upon to make the same move because it cannot be imposed on them and I have heard some discordant voices from that institution, those who said no, and those who said we may upon certain conditions, so it is going to be tough,” he said.
“But I think ultimately it depends on the government itself, that is why in addition to the salary reductions there must be other visible tangible measures that will impress on people, one of them for instance is simply for government to begin to avoid opulent lifestyle and be more frugal in how it serves the public.
“And this can be seen in whether the president for instance is going to continue to move around with 40 or 50 cars. When you know that fuel prices have hit the roof and you are going to line up 40 cars just to take you to a place. So, if the president will say in view of the austerity measures I am going to use 10 cars, that will be dramatic for the public,” Agyeman-Duah added.
He, however, commended the executive and Council of State members for opting to cut down their salaries and allowances respectively.
Fred Dzakpata
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