THE long-standing problem of salary arrears owed to Municipal and District Chier Executives, who served in acting capacities prior to the appointment of substantive officers has been solved.
They have all been paid.
The Times has learned that the Government has paid an amount of ?4.854 billion, representing salary arrears and allowances, to 93 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives who served in acting positions between January and July last year.
Disclosing this to the Times in Accra, Kwabena Adjei-Mensah , Deputy Controller and Accountant-General, said that government paid the salary arrears and allowances last October, following a directive from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
At the end of his first term of office, President Kufuor wrote to thank all ministers and chief executives and asked them to act till substantive ministers and chief executives were appointed. The appointees were however, reportedly not paid their salaries during the seven-month period that they acted.
In September, last year some of the Chief Executives complained publicly that they had not been paid their salaries for the period they served in acting positions and this had led to anxiety in their ranks.
On the newly appointed Chief Executives, Mr Adjei-Mensah said the department was waiting to receive the appropriate information from the Local Government Ministry to enable it to start processing the payment of their salaries and allowances.
Kofi Poku Adusei, Deputy Minister, Local Government and Rural Development confirmed that, the chief executives have received their emoluments and gave the assurance that the Ministry has put in place a mechanism to ensure that salaries and allowances of all chief executives whose appointment took effect from August 2005, are not delayed.
Source: GhanaWeb
