Pay salary arrears of OSP- Corruption Watch to Gov’t

Corruption Watch, an anti-gratft Civil Society Organization (CSO) under Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has called on government to pay the 16-months arears owned to the Special Prosecutor (SP), Kissi Agyabeng since he took over the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP).

In a statement signed by the Digital Content Officer of Corrupt Watch, Sharon Willis Brown-Acquah expressed their worry over non-payment of salaries of both the SP and the staff apart from the Deputy Special Prosecutor.

“If not the Minority in Parliament who notified the public on this awful revelations through the media, nobody is aware of their present situation at the office”, the statement said.

Also, the statement noted that through media reports 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”, the statement again noted.

It said, according to the Labour Act 2003, payment of wages requires that wages be paid in legal tender to all classes of workers. Law requires the employer to make timely payment of remuneration to the workers.

“Monthly payment is therefore made to the worker employed on a monthly basis and weekly payment to those employed on a weekly basis”, it stated.

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 government’s commitment to the anti-corruption agenda.

Anything short of this would not be justifiabe.

Read full statement below

PRESS RELEASE
December 16, 2022

Pay 16-month salary arrears owed to OSP now

Corruption Watch is dismayed by media reports and confirmation by the Special
Prosecutor (SP), Kissi Agyabeng. The Minority in parliament revealed that the government has not paid any salary to the SP since he was appointed 16 months ago.

We are equaly worried by caims that apart from the Deputy Special Prosecutor, staff ofthe OSP have also not been paid any salaries.

Furthermore, the media reports caim that the former SP, Martin Amidu is also owed salaryarrears.

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.

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 payment 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 thegovernment, through the finance
minister, to immediately rectify the embarrassing anomaly to demonstrate a clear expression of government’s commitment to the anti-corruption agenda.

Anything short of this would not be justifiabe.

Source: Eric Nii Sackey