Member of Parliament for North-Tongu constituency, Honourable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has made wild allegations, indicating an outrageous spike in the allowances of the board members and management of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation.
Hon Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in his submission jabbed government for going contrary to his directives for which, they are deploying in order to revive the country’s economy.
“When a government asks everyone to take financial haircuts due to the effects of their economic mismanagement, we don’t expect its officials to be approving for themselves fat increments in allowances.”
He revealed that, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation board chairman and the management of the corporation are guilty of inflating their salary up to 150 percent.
“Intercepted memos from GNPC reveal that the Freddie Blay-led board and management have increased their allowances by up to 150% despite Ghana’s economic crisis and contrary to government’s assurances to Parliament of a general pay-cut.
“Allowances for a day’s hotel rate have increased from 400 to 1000 Dollars, Euros or Pounds depending on where they travel to.
“Per diem for the Board Chairman has moved from 500 to 850 and from 500 to 700 for the CEO and other board members — also in Dollars, Euros or Pounds as per the travel destination.”
Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa further alleged that, the Chief Executive Officer had made a request for his salary to be increased.
“It is even more depressing to read other memos requesting that the salary of the CEO is doubled. Angry insiders say the CEO, Mr. Opoku Ahweneeh Danquah who is President Akufo-Addo’s nephew, always gets what he wants.”
He then stated, “This betrayal of the Ghanaian people and gross insensitivity cannot continue.”
Hon Okudzeto Ablakwa requested that, any form of expenditure that is to be made in respect of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation should undergo thorough probe. He then assured that, he is going to take steps as a legislator to avert all these irresponsible expenditure of the corporation.
“I believe it is time to regulate the incestuous discretion of boards and CEOs of State-Owned Enterprises to determine their own salaries and allowances without parliamentary approval — particularly when most SOEs are being terribly mismanaged and making huge losses. I shall in the coming days be proposing new private member’s legislation to end this detrimental practice,” Hon Okudzeto Ablakwa said.
