Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has reiterated his stance on the payment of pensions to public officials under Article 71 of the Constitution, claiming it no longer serves its intended purpose.
He said the original purpose of giving pensions to certain civil servants and politicians was to combat corruption, but that is no longer the case under the current administration.
Speaking at a public forum marking the 30th anniversary of the Fourth Republican Parliament in Kumasi, Alban Bagbin stressed that the stipend was initially intended to ensure that civil servants and politicians would have their needs met after they left office and to encourage them to put the interest of the people above their personal gain.
But in practice, he acknowledged, this was not the case and the payments had not effectively curbed corruption.
The Chairperson expressed support for amending Article 71 of the Constitution to abolish ex gratia payments, which he considered to be unnecessary.
“The issue of pensions is a very tricky one. The founders envisaged a situation where pensions would be given to certain categories of public servants, including politicians. Pensions are not for members of parliament, they are not even pensions, they are allowances.”
“There is a difference between pensions and consolation payments, and it does not only apply to members of the Diet. It cuts across categories – the Auditor General, the chairpersons of all constitutional committees, ministers of state, the president, the judiciary, all other civil servants and political office-holders – and it is not just an issue for members of the Diet.”
“But the concept was to give them a sense of security given the importance of the position they occupy and the decisions they make on your behalf. Think not of yourself, but of the people you represent, because we’ll look after you after you leave office. So it was about helping us stop corruption. And I was pleased that a lot of industry leaders from the region were members of the advisory council.”
“Unfortunately, in reality the Constitution is not serving a purpose. It is not helping in curbing or containing corruption. So when I was running as a presidential candidate, I promised that if I was elected, I would amend that section of the Constitution. So, I am in full agreement with those who say that Section 71 of the Constitution should be repealed. The Constitution is not serving a purpose. There is no point in maintaining it.”
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