The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has hinted that a possible retirement benefits scheme for Members of Parliament (MPs) is under consideration amid discussions over their ex-gratia package.
“The Emoluments Committee is proposing that we have a superannuation scheme for Members of Parliament more or less a pensions scheme but one of the stumbling blocks for this is the fact that MPs in the Seventh Parliament set to end tonight have not made any contributions as is expected from pension schemes.
“For this meeting, the members of the Seventh Parliament haven’t contributed, so it is a tough call to say that the issue should be done however, I admit that I am one of the proponents of a retiring benefits scheme,” Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu asserted.
He indicated that “the earlier meeting of MPs to determine the emoluments of members of the Executive ended inconclusively on Monday evening and the meeting which lasted over an hour and half discussed the report of the Presidential Committee on Emoluments headed by Professor Yaa Ntiamoah Badu.”
MPs are pushing for an increase in the package of MPs leading to the lack of progress, they are currently upset the proposed package does not meet the GH¢600,000 that was paid to the MPs in the Sixth Parliament.
The committee’s report, among other issues, recommended that the MPs take home an end of service package of four months of their salaries every year that they served in the Legislature and the MPs want the House to take a second look at the portions before Parliament dissolves.
The President is meant to approve the ex-gratia of MPs and the other Article 71 office holders while Parliament approves that of the Executive. –citinewsroom.com
