Anti-corruption coalition, Corruption Watch Ghana is demanding an immediate disbursement of monies to cater for the 16 months’ salary arrears owed the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng.
The coalition in a statement expressed dismay over the delay in paying the Special Prosecutor for his services to the nation.
“Corruption Watch is dismayed by media reports and confirmation by the Special Prosecutor (SP), Kissi Agyabeng, and the Minority in Parliament that the government has not paid any salary to the SP since he was appointed 16 months ago.”
“We are equally worried by claims that apart from the Deputy Special Prosecutor, staff of the OSP has also not been paid any salaries.”
It also revealed that Kissi Agyabeng’s predecessor, Martin Amidu is owed some arrears, which it describes as unacceptable and untenable and undermines the efforts at fighting corruption.
“Furthermore, the media reports claim that the former SP, Martin Amidu is also owed salary arrears. We wish to state without any equivocation that the development is unacceptable and untenable because it gravely undermines efforts at fighting corruption and adherence to the dictates of legislation.”
Corruption Watch further spoke about the legality of owing the Office for all this while saying it breaks the labour laws of the country.
“According to the Labour Act 2003, the payment of wages requires that wages be paid in legal tender to all classes of workers. Law requires the employer to make timely payments of remuneration to the workers. Monthly payment is made to the worker employed on a monthly basis and weekly payment to those employed on a weekly basis.
“In view of the foregoing, Corruption Watch urges the government, through the finance minister, to immediately rectify the embarrassing anomaly to demonstrate a clear expression of the government’s commitment to the anti-corruption agenda. Anything short of this would not be justifiable.”
It emerged that the salaries of staff at the Office of the Special Prosecutor had not been paid for more than a year and a half when the budget of the Office was laid before Parliament for approval.
The estimated GH¢129,000,000 budget allocation to the Office was therefore suspended and the legislators demanded the arrears be cleared before further deliberations are taken on the approval or otherwise of the allocation.