Economist praises Akufo-Addo for cutting his appointees’ salaries by 30 per cent
Dr Adu Owusu Sarkodie, an economist, has praised the government for enacting a 30% pay cut for all government appointees, adding that it is a positive indicator that the administration is working to reduce the budgetary deficit.
“It is a good step and I said that the main objective is for the government to show that we are on course with the fiscal consolidation path and the fiscal consolidation path is to narrow the budget deficit and also slow down the rate of borrowing”.
His remarks come after Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, the Chief of Staff (CoS), wrote to the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) requesting that all government appointees’ salaries be deducted by 30%.
On April 19, 2022, the Chief of Staf in a statement said “The Controller and Accountant General Department and the Chief Executives of State-Owned Agencies (SOEs) are directed to deduct at source 30 per cent of the salaries of ministers of states (including Deputy Ministers), District Chief Executives of MMDAs, Chief Executive officers and Deputy Chief Executive officers of SOEs with effect from 1st April to December 2022 and pay some into the consolidated fund.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had already ordered a 30 per cent pay cut for all of his appointees.
According to the Presidency, this was one of the actions taken by the government to address the country’s current economic issues.
On Tuesday, March 22, Mr Akufo-Addo during a meeting with members of the Council of State at the Jubilee House in Accra noted that “It is no secret that our economy is going through difficult times. It is also no secret that we are not alone in that exercise. The many of the phenomena that we are facing are phenomena that are apparent in many other parts of the world but that doesn’t, therefore, mean that government is impotent in trying to find solutions”.
