Nadia Ntiamoah
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, and members of the 8th Parliament (7 January 2021 to 7 January 2025) have received their Ex-Gratia payments in full, according to a letter from the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror.
The disclosure comes following a Right to Information (RTI) request submitted by a citizen, Kofi Asare, highlighting the disparity in payments between the legislative arm of government and other state actors who served during the same period.
While the legislative arm has been compensated, checks reveal that the executive branch, the Council of State (CoS), and the Judiciary have not yet received their Ex-Gratia payments.
Critics argue that this points to a selective approach by the Mahama administration, raising concerns over adherence to constitutional and statutory obligations regarding payments to public office holders.
The RTI application submitted by Asare on 7 October 2025, and a subsequent request for review on 14 October 2025, sought detailed information on four key points: the transmission of Parliament’s determination of salaries; confirmation of implementation from the Ministry of Finance or the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD); receipt of salaries by the Speaker and MPs, and certified copies of Parliament’s resolutions and related correspondence.
In a letter dated 11 December 2025, Djietror confirmed that the Speaker and MPs received their payments in two installments: the first in May 2025 and the second in July 2025, covering the period from January 2021 to January 2025.
The letter explained that Parliament transmits its determination of Article 71 salaries to the President, who communicates the approved salaries to the Ministry of Finance and CAGD for disbursement.
Payments are then audited and certified by the Auditor-General before release to Parliament for direct payment to MPs.
The correspondence also clarified that while the term “Ex-Gratia” is commonly used in media reports, the payments fall under Article 71(3) of the 1992 Constitution and include salaries, allowances, facilities, privileges, and retirement benefits of office holders.
The calculation formula used is standardized, giving four months’ salary for each year of service.
Under Article 71, Parliament determines salaries for the President, Vice President, Council of State members, and Ministers, while the President determines salaries for MPs, Speaker, Deputy Speakers, Justices of the Superior Courts, the Auditor-General, and other high-ranking office holders based on recommendations from the Presidential Committee on Emoluments.
The controversy stems from the apparent omission of payments to other Article 71 office holders, notably former President Nana Akufo-Addo, members of the Council of State, and the Judiciary, despite serving during the same period for which MPs have been fully compensated.
This has sparked public debate about the transparency and equity of Ex-Gratia disbursements under the current administration.
