Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., appears unimpressed with the announcement by Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Seth Tekper, that President Mahama, Vice-President Amissah Arthur and other government appointees will voluntarily take a 10 percent pay cut on their salaries to bring down the ballooning wage bill.
According to him, it is not a significant reduction since the 10% pay cut will be immaterial, because at the end of the day, government appointees will still live their same affluent lifestyles at the expense of the taxpayer.
The Finance Minister on Tuesday, announced that the Executive and some appointees of state have voluntarily agreed to take a 10 percent pay cut, effective January 2014. He projected that with the 10% salary reduction, government will be saving as much as 80,000 Ghana cedis monthly. The money, he said would be channeled into saving the lives of women and children.
But speaking on Adom FM on Thursday, Kwesi Pratt opined that, the pay cut will in no way cause the President nor his appointees to be “poor”.
“The truth is this, 10% reduction will not in any way affect the President and his appointees. This 10% cut off will not make them poor; they (President Mahama and his appointees) will still cruise in government cars, (take advantage of) free petrol, free utilities and free accommodation.
“…The 10% cut off is not a significant reduction, they will still live comfortably. The President and his appointees will never feel any pinch in the reduction. Though it is some form of sacrifice, it is not a sacrifice that is significant…it is not striking, it’s unremarkable…,” he lamented.
Sounding unimpressed, he however described the 10% pay cut as merely a “Significant symbolic gesture.”
