Report by Nana POKU
A Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) in the Greater Accra Region who wants to remain anonymous has disclosed that the salaries of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives has not experienced any upward adjustment for the past eight years, that is from 2015 to date.
Speaking to this reporter in his office, the MCE decried the situation as dire one. According to him their stagnant salary situation has been further reduced by 60% after initial 30 % decrease.
“We have had our petrol ration also drastically reduced making our routine checking, inspection and visits so difficult. As if that is not enough, our Common Fund have not been forthcoming and those of us without substantial internally generated fund are being thwarted in our efforts to undertake many projects in our jurisdiction. So we are doing our best under these circumstances. As far as I am concerned, the job of an MCE is a sacrificial one and it calls for self-discipline and integrity to live above reproach,” the MCE stated.
The MCE further intimated that in order to offer a decent job to the assembly, one must live above suspicion, reproach, and mistrust and serve everyone in the jurisdiction equally without vivid discrimination.
“Once you become an MCE, you do your best to serve all interests because we are all Ghanaians even though one may have to necessarily serve the interest of the ruling government who appointed you,” he stated.
He indicated that MMDCEs must see their positions as service to the community and government and must use their expertise and experience to serve everyone in the community.
Party faithful must also understand that resources at the assembly must be channeled to the projects envisaged rather than the use by party apparatchiks.
“This will endear the party to the constituency to win seats for the party in power,” he said.
He alluded to the practice of some party executives who want contracts on silver platters while there’s a procedure to follow in awarding these contracts.
“Some of them want MMDCEs to dip their hands into government funds to settle their domestic problems and if you fail to give them, then they call you names but some us have names to protect and carry ourselves in a very decent manner. They want us to bend the rules but how can l? I don’t want to be labeled after l have left office and gone and our tenure is terminal. Some party supporters don’t understand us but we owe our duty to the government, assembly, and party faithful,” he stated.
