The Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMJG) has refuted claims that it is paid ex-gratia every four years.
It said the allegations were “untrue, baseless and malicious.”
This was contained in a press release signed by president of AMJG, Justice Henry Kwofie, Court of Appeal Judge.
According to AMJG, the salaries of superior court judges were determined once every four (4) years by the President on the recommendation of a Committee appointed by the President under Article 71(1) of the Constitution 1992.
It is the case of the Association that if increases were effected in the salary as a result of the recommendations of the Committee, the judges are then paid arrears of salary commonly called “back pay” arising from the back-dating of the salary increase.
It said “these arrears of salary or back pay are accordingly paid in a lump sum or instalment. This has been the situation since 1996.”
The AMJG said it was this back pay that was mischievously construed by some journalists and social commentators as ex-gratia.
“It is these arrears of salary or back pay which is mischievously being described as ex-gratia in the press particularly on radio, television and on social media platforms by some seasoned journalists and so-called social commentators who never attempted to look for the truth,” the statement said.
“That the Association would like to state categorically that no Superior Court Judge is or has ever been paid ex-gratia every four years as being wrongly stated in the media.”
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
