The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has urged the Akufo-Addo-led NPP government to consider delaying the payment of salaries to the political class including ministers, MPs and other government officials to enable it to pay pensioner bondholders.
According to him, the senior citizens do not have any other means of survival and their investments in government bonds help them take care of their medical bills and their dependents, so it is disheartening to see them continue picketing to beg for the payment of their investment proceeds.
“I don’t mind if the government says it will delay our salaries, those of us in active politics now so the monies for these pensioners can be paid. I don’t mind at all.
“The salaries of all of us MPs, Ministers and all. So, there are so many things we can cut. The salaries of the political class be suspended while we look at that,” the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee is quoted to have said on Metro TV on Friday, May 12.
He re-echoed calls on the President to reduce the size of his government and cut expenditures.
“The fuel coupons, official travels, the cathedral secretariat. Why are we keeping that secretariat open and paying people salaries after all the scandals? You know this president does not believe in small things. He likes big things, big government and large life,” Ablakwa said.
Members of the Pensioner Bondholders Forum have been picketing the Finance Ministry from 10 am to 11 am every day to demand the payment of about 19 coupons and 3 outstanding principals.
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