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THE 30 percent cut in the monthly salaries of Government appointees to protect the national purse in the midst of the current economic turmoil has started.
According to Kumasi Mayor, Sam Pyne, this includes the salary of the President, Vice President, Ministers and MMDCEs, as asserted by the President.
“This month in particular, I can point it out to you that I was paid just GH¢310,” he stated on Peace FM, adding that “I have been deducted for arrears that have accrued since the government announced the policy.”
In the face of the economic challenges, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, some months ago, announced that it would deduct 30 percent of its appointees’ salaries to help save the virtually weak economy.
Since that time, nothing has been heard about the bold, ambitious and patriotic gesture by the government, paving way for people, especially detractors of the government, to speculate about the government’s promise.
Some of the detractors of the government even described the President’s promise as a mere populist and political statement, which was issued just to score an political points for the government.
But the Kumasi Mayor has stated that the 30% salary pay cuts promise was not a fluke, stressing that the policy has started already behind the scenes.
He said the so-called economic gurus in the country who recently slammed President Akufo-Addo when he reiterated his promise to cut the salary of his officials by 30% should know that the policy is underway.
“Some of these so-called economists who scored Nana 40% over his recent statement about the state of the economy and also accused Nana for not deducting 30% from his officials’ salaries, should be aware that the policy has started”.
The Kumasi Mayor stated categorically that indeed he took home a meager GH¢310 last month following the deduction of his salary arrears by the government, adding that the government indeed means business.
According to him, those making hullabaloo about the government’s new directive, which he (Pyne) said would help bring some relief to the economy, were doing propaganda to discredit the government without justification.
“This is just the usual NDC propaganda and it should be ignored by all-and-sundry,” he remarked.
‘Sika Mpe Dede’
Sam Pyne, touching on other key national issues, stated that President Akufo-Addo was also right when he recently said in the Twi language that “Sika Mpe Dede” to wit “Money doesn’t like noise”.
He said undue noise and speculation about the economy, especially the US dollar, would spark fear and panic among the citizenry, thereby leading to a rush for the US dollar, which would lead to shortage of the currency and adversely affect the economy.
According to Sam Pyne, President Akufo-Addo should rather be applauded for his insightful comment about the state of the economy instead of the bashings by his political opponents.
