Domelevo rejects request to pay arrears of former MPs

The Auditor-General, Mr Daniel Yaw Domelevo, has rejected a request for an audit verification to be conducted in order for the payment of salary arrears for over 200 former Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Fourth Parliament.

The request by the Chief of Staff, Madam Frema Osei Opare was based on a letter from a group known as Forum for Former Members of Parliament (MP).

The former MPs, some of whom left Parliament over 10 years ago, are requesting the payment of arrears of salaries and emoluments amounting to over GH¢29.7 million.

But in response to the request, the Auditor-General is arguing that it is invalid to make the payment.

as invalid and amounting to a conflict of interest because most of the beneficiaries would be members of the current government, including the President and the Chief of Staff.

“Apart from the fact that the claim from the FFMP is invalid because the CHC report for 2005 to 2009 was rejected, it may also amount to an abuse of power or conflict of interest to make additional payment (20% salary increase per annum for four years) to former Members of Parliament(covering a period of 10 to 14 years ago) especially when some of them are now the executive,” Mr. Domelevo indicated in his letter.

The Auditor-General further contended that because some of the MPs on the list for salary arrears are under investigation for receiving double salaries, it will not be right to pay any further monies to them.