By Grace Q. Bryant
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Bhofal Chambers, has called on the Minister of Finance, Samuel Tweah, to do the needful things by providing the salaries and benefits of Legislative staffers who were called for the Presidential two-month Special Sitting.
It can be recalled that two days ago, members of the House of Representatives Staffers Association staged a protest on the grounds of the Capitol Building in demand of their salaries and benefits from the special sitting.
The staffers were called by the Speaker to halt their protest, promising that they will receive their salaries and fees between then and today.
Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, January 11, at the Capitol Building, outgoing Speaker Chambers said it is the right of the staffers of both houses to get what they worked for, and as such, the MFDP needs to allocate funds for said purpose.
Speaker Chambers further said there are other government functionaries that have not taken pay for the past two months, something that needs to be taken care of by this government before the coming in of the new administration.
He added that special sitting is by law and whenever the Legislature is called by the Chief Executive, they normally pay legislative staffers, so the Ministry of Finance needs to settle these arrears.
“I’m not concerned about myself, in terms of getting benefits, but the ordinary staffers are the engine behind our work and are the ones who we should be more concerned about,” he noted.
The Speaker added that when people work, they need to be paid, and it’s time that the Executive Branch of Government, through Minister Samuel Tweah, pay said money.
He said the government comes to protect everyone and when people work hard, there should no further explanation from the government.
“There should be no hand of shifting post; the staffers do not have to demonstrate before receiving their own money,” adding that they have already approved for the payment forms.
“We need peace, unity, and security in ending our term, so the incoming government can start in good faith, and we do not need an ugly turnover,” the Speaker expressed.
He continued, “This is government money, so it should be given to people who have worked for it, not individuals for personal use.”
He noted that the decision from Finance Ministry to deny staffers their salaries “is wrong and should not be happening.”
