MP’s Wages - Mr President Not A Pesewa More

The world is a funny old place where our imagination can play tricks with us. Maybe, as I grow older my eyes get weaker and my brains begin to shrink. The demand by MP’s for a whopping 400% rise in wages is at best “farcical” and at worst comical. As a young undergraduate, I was extremely fortunate to have a room overlooking the green hills and valleys of Newcastle under Lyme. Each morning after saying my prayers and reading a chapter or two from the good book I will set my eyes on the sayings and writings of the great Chinese thinker and philosopher- Confucius. This great Chinese thinker was a fair man, I recommend his writings and sayings to all and sundry. It is recorded that one day one of Confucius pupils Zi Gong asked the master “is there any one word that could guide a person throughout life”? Confucius replied: How about “shu” {reciprocity]: never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself. (Analects xv.24.tr.). This great saying by one of the world’s brilliant philosophers is completely lost on many of the leaders and decision makers in contemporary Africa. Also in promulgating his “Theory of the “Veil of Ignorance” Rawls another brilliant philosopher argued that the veil is one that essentially blinds people to all facts about themselves. Let us take the scenario whereby “no African leader/decision maker or parliamentarian knew his place in society, his class, position or social status, nor does anyone know his future in the distribution of national assets and abilities- how would we behave? Each reader must decide for himself his or her behavioural pattern under Rawls “Theory of the Veil of Ignorance” as at the pearly gate we will be accountable for our actions. Our consistent lack of empathy and disregard for the miserable plight of the very poor among our midst beggar’s belief. As a nation, if I may ask: why do we bother about the rate of inflation? What is the significance of the inflation rate? Why is the Finance Minister gloating over the fact that Ghana’s inflation rate is hovering around the 9% mark. The answer is simple- in most “normal countries” yearly wage demands tend to be based on the rise in the cost of goods and services pertaining in that particular fiscal year not, “catching up” theories. If our honourables are engaged in ‘catch up’ then they should seek the advice of Confucius and practise “shu” for the rest of the mere mortals surviving on 100 GHC a month. I know of one night security guard who has been employed by a Municipal Authority for 35 years- his take home pay is less than 300 GHC. This majestic old man still lives in someone’s uncompleted property-maybe he deserves some ‘catching up’. How about the comparison model? Are our MP’s entitled to compare their salaries with other African honourables? Absolutely ‘yes’, they are all part of the fraternity of untouchables. Ghanaians are not stupid; neither would we allow MP’s to bamboozle us with high sounding platitudes, arrogant and elitist arguments in their quest to secure tax payers money. Ghanaians demand and need to know – what is the total accumulated salary of MP’s? Please – include all the perks. Many Ghanaians would gladly swap jobs with our honourables. What about the simple Theory of Purchasing Parity Power (PPP) – the Bigmac Index Theory or Rural/Urban Theory. This clearly indicates that the cost of a McDonald’s sandwich can be determined in a number of countries and then an exchange rate can be concluded. My aunties at Nkawie can attest to the fact that the cost of living in Accra is greater than Nkawie. You do not need a PhD in Economics to understand that a Ghanaian MP has no business comparing his wages to a British MP. The cost of living in UK is much higher than Ghana and the only reasonable comparison is the purchasing power thesis. Well, maybe I am not being fair to our honourables, let us hear from them- what reasons have they given for their huge inflationary wage –demand? Some have argued that they need the wage rise to perform their duties efficiently, others have not been so circumspect. Let us take the views of a cross-section of MP’s. Haruna Bayirga PNC- says MP’s pay rise was justified, adding that because their salaries were low they had to subsist on loans, including loans to buy vehicles to undertake routine activities. Mr Bayriga said the work of the MP is tasking including oversight responsibility of the executive, legislating, and meeting with constituents and dialoguing to enhance the democratic dispensation. Hey! Honourable Samiah Nkrumah CPP says the present salary of GHC3, 300 was not sufficient to meet the demands of their constituents. Hmm, Samia- what will Daddy say? Professor Dominic Fobih NPP says MP’s were justified in demanding pay rise like other public officers. True, Prof, but the only justifiable wage rise for our weak economy is one which is in line with the rate of inflation not phantom demands. And by the way, if our economy is booming and can afford to pay you 7,000 Ghana cedis why did some of your lot join the AFAG demonstration? – Do not assume we are dummies, fools or ignorant. Many readers may ask, but what are the constitutional functions of my MP? For the benefit of readers MP’s have four main constitutional roles- in sum their job descriptions. (1) Legislation: (2) Executive Oversight: (3) Constituency Representation: (4) Constituency Service: Let us take a closer look at the work of our almighty honourables. First, legislation, - even with this major role, MP’s can choose to contribute to the legislative process or not. Activity on the floor of the House, as well as in committees, requires a minimum number of members present and some members can count on their fingertips the number of times they have been present at the house to deliberate, discuss, comment and add value to the legislative work of the house. Second, executive oversight – holding the executive accountable and demanding transparency supposedly enhances its overall performance. However, under all Governments, MP’s have come under severe and constant pressure to toe the executive line, and deviations are strongly sanctioned through little or no constituency development programmes, denial of seats on lucrative tender boards, and /or board membership of state owned enterprise. MP’s oversight of the executive is non- existent or very weak-as the constitution mandates the President to appoint at least half of his Ministers from within the legislature. There have been instances where over 40% of MP’s from a particular party had Ministerial or official government posts. How could they hold the executive accountable? This constitutional requirement has led to a very weak oversight of the work of the executive by MP’s. Third, constituency representation- this function is restricted to the constituents of the MP and its impact is limited to a particular area. If an MP builds a toilet at Bibiani, it has no impact on the lives of the citizen at Bolgatanga. Moreover, if an MP represents the interests of his constituent, he/she is performing his legitimate function. Fourth, constituency service – this acquired role is unconstitutional as the doling out of common funds to MP’s is anti-democratic. This acquired role takes the form of MP’s using the Common Fund for their pet projects and calling it “development”. The first 3 functions are the roles that MP’s are constitutionally required to undertake in our democratic system. Let us be clear and categoric! No one has asked MP’s to donate huge sums at funerals, pay school fees, dole out cash at gatherings or act as local tycoons. It is not in their job description. Readers, no one is envious or jealous of anyone; far from it! The fight for a fair, just and equitable society in Ghana would continue. We will hold our elected representatives accountable in the sharing of the national cake. As the former Prime Minister- Gordon Brown said in his last conference speech – “the fight to eliminate abject poverty is a fight worth fighting. For some of us, the fight to eliminate abject poverty is imprinted in our DNA and unless and until every Ghanaian child has a roof over his/her head, a decent education and appropriate shelter we will continue to campaign, lobby inform and debate. Honourables do not take Ghanaians to the wire, one day our patience may run out! Many Ghanaians live in abject poverty, suffer daily treatment of poverty psychosis and are sick and tired of well-paid Ghanaians taking the Government to the cleaners. “Mr President – you have the political power, please stand on the moral high ground, inform the MP’s that the only legitimate wage demand that you will support is an increase in line with the inflation rate- not a pesewa more.