Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, has called for the abolition of ex-gratia payments to Article 71 office holders, arguing that the practice is outdated and no longer serves its intended purpose.
Speaking at a public forum in Kumasi to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Fourth Republican Parliament, Bagbin highlighted the original intent behind ex-gratia payments. He explained that these payments were introduced to ensure public servants and political officeholders would be taken care of after leaving office, thus encouraging them to focus on serving the public rather than personal gain.
“The concept was to assure them, because of the importance of the position they occupy, and the decisions they take on your behalf, the concept was to assure them, don’t think about yourself, think about the people you represent because, after your office, we will take care of you. So it was to assist us to contain corruption,” Bagbin said.
However, he noted that in practice, ex-gratia payments have not achieved this goal and have failed to curb corruption. He expressed his support for amending Article 71 of the Constitution to abolish these payments, which he believes have become unnecessary.
“The issue of ex-gratia is a very thorny issue. The founders envisaged a situation where they wanted some particular category of public servants, including political officeholders. The ex-gratia is not for members of Parliament alone. It cuts through a category of public servants and political officeholders, including the Auditor General, including the chairpersons of all the constitutional commissions, including ministers of state, the presidency, judiciary, and all others. It’s not just members of parliament,” Bagbin explained.
He continued, “Unfortunately, in practice, it has not served its purpose. It has not been able to assist us to curb or contain corruption. And so when I made an attempt to contest as a presidential candidate, I did announce that if elected as president, I was going to ensure that that article is amended from the constitution. So I agree totally with anybody who comes to say that we should do away with Article 71 of the Constitution. It hasn’t served its purpose, there’s no use maintaining it.”
Bagbin’s remarks came during a tour of the Ashanti Region, where he engaged in several discussions aimed at reflecting on the progress made over the past three decades of Ghana’s Fourth Republic. During his visit, he acknowledged the Asantehene’s concerns about the intense competition and sacrifices involved in political pursuits. He also emphasized the significant impact that parliamentarians can have on national development and the importance of public service.
The Speaker’s call for the abolition of ex-gratia payments signals a potential shift in how Ghana compensates its high-ranking public officials and aims to promote greater accountability and reduce corruption.