Professor Stephen Adei has added his voice to that of many Ghanaians calling on the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to reduce the size of his government as part of moves to deal with the economic challenges.
According to him, even though it won’t take the country out of the current economic situation, it is a sign of leading by example.
The former Board Chair of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), at a special convocation, at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) on Wednesday, March 23 told journalists that:
“Two weeks ago, I said that the executive, parliament should cut their emoluments by 25 per cent. Let us get it right, even if they do, it is a small amount, it is not going to save us from this situation but it is a leadership example.
“You are sending the message to the people that we are in difficulty, people are suffering and we want to suffer with you. So that hopefully, in a year or a year and a half, we will all come out.
“So don’t let anybody think that when they cut these salaries then the problem is solved altogether because we are talking about half a billion when we need billions.”
Prof Adei further indicated, “I expect [the President] to find ways of cutting expenditure, increase revenue, cutting off the size in the government…”
In advocating for the controversial E-Levy bill, Prof Stephen Adei explained that government generates limited revenue and the E-Levy will help to raise more revenue to be able to fulfil the promises made to Ghanaians.
He stressed that if Ghanaians keep saying they will not pay the E-Levy, they will end up paying without even knowing.
“I think that even though all of you don’t like it, I think that we should go for the E-levy, it is a tax which we need now to save Ghana from its current situation. The reason is that there is a very limited avenue in the short-term to raise revenue. If you and I don’t support the government at this stage we will pay it through the other way – falling Cedi, rising inflation. So people don’t realize when they say they won’t pay the E-levy, you will end up paying,” Prof Stephen Adei noted.
Meanwhile, Members of the Council of State have also decided to reduce their monthly allowances by 20 per cent until the end of the year.
This decision was taken due to the economic difficulties that the country is facing at the moment, Chairman of the Council, Nana Otuo Siriboe II, said.
Speaking during a meeting with the President at the Jubilee House in Accra on Tuesday, March 22, Nana Otuo Siriboe II said: “Mr President, over the past few weeks, the Council has been deliberating on the current economic conditions of the country and have been collecting views with the view to sharing with you as early as possible.
“As we were going through our routines, you and your cabinet were at a retreat over the same issues. Since yesterday, we have been fed with snippets of information regarding some of the decisions that you have made.
“We are particularly delighted to read that you and your cabinet have decided to reduce some of your emoluments and your allowances. Mr President, in tandem with your decision we as Council of State had also decided that we will reduce our monthly allowances by 20 per cent until the end of this year.”
