Lawmaker for Asante Akim North, Kwame Andy Appiah-Kubi, has sparked debate with his assertion that the wives of the President and Vice President of Ghana should engage in humanitarian work in their private capacities. He cited examples from the United States, where former First Lady Michelle Obama, a Harvard-trained lawyer, focused on humanitarian work that was not funded by the state.
Speaking on TV3’s Key Points, Mr. Appiah-Kubi emphasized that there is no need for a law mandating the payment of salaries to the First and Second Ladies. Instead, he believes that they should be encouraged to do charitable work through private means.
This discussion comes on the heels of a recent Supreme Court ruling declaring the payment of salaries to the First and Second Ladies as unconstitutional. The ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed by Kwame Baffoe, also known as ‘Abronye’, who challenged the approved salaries for the presidential spouses.
The court’s decision was based on recommendations made by a committee led by Prof Ntiamoa-Baidu, which was tasked with advising the President and Parliament on the salaries, allowances, and privileges of Article 71 officeholders.
While ‘Abronye’ sought various reliefs from the court, including declarations on the jurisdiction of the committee and the constitutionality of the recommendations, the Chief Justice dismissed most of his claims. Similarly, a suit filed by MP Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor was also partially dismissed by the court.
