Political analyst Samuel Boateng has criticised the proposed 100% increase in the salaries of Members of Parliament under the Article 71 emoluments arrangement, arguing that MPs have not demonstrated exceptional performance to justify such a steep rise.
Mr Boateng questioned what Parliament has done differently from other public institutions to warrant a 100% salary increase when teachers, police officers, health workers and other public servants are receiving much smaller adjustments of 9%, 8% or 6%.
He said Members of Parliament are also public servants and should not be treated as though their work is inherently more valuable than that of other professionals serving the country.
According to him, the disparity in remuneration has become so significant that some teachers and medical doctors have been compelled to abandon their professions and enter politics in the hope of improving their financial circumstances after years of struggling in their respective fields.
Mr Boateng also took aim at MPs over what he described as their failure to fully deliver on their developmental responsibilities to constituents.
He said it was difficult to justify a massive salary increase when, in some constituencies, residents still lack access to decent drinking water, children continue to study on bare floors, and some pupils learn under trees.
He argued that MPs should be judged not only by their presence in Parliament but also by the tangible improvements they bring to the communities they represent.
Mr Boateng further criticised MPs who accept ministerial appointments, saying such positions can distract them from the core responsibilities for which constituents elected them to Parliament.
He claimed that some MPs become less attentive to their constituencies after being elected and only intensify their engagement with constituents as the next four-year electoral cycle approaches.
He also expressed concern about what he described as the growing influence of partisan politics in Parliament, pointing to the frequent use of the “yeah, yeah” mantra and parliamentary walkouts as signs that MPs are sometimes placing party interests above their oversight responsibilities.
According to him, Parliament’s most important function is to scrutinise the work of the Executive, demand accountability and ensure that governments deliver on the promises they make to Ghanaians.
He argued that Parliament has fallen short in this regard, with issues that could provide immediate relief to ordinary citizens allegedly receiving less attention than matters that serve the interests of politicians.
“If Members of Parliament deserve a 100% increase in their salaries, then all public servants should be entitled to the same percentage increase,” Mr Boateng argued.
He maintained that any decision to significantly increase MPs’ salaries must be matched by clear evidence of improved performance, accountability and tangible development for the people they represent.
