Former Dean for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), Richmond Agyabeng Amponsah, has defended the GH₵35,000 salary MMDCEs are expected to receive amidst reports of increment, saying there is no reason to be envious.
Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, he explained that the amount is not the net take-home pay.
“Not all of it goes to you. They subtract taxes and other deductions, and at the end of the day, you may go home with even GH₵20,000,” he said.
Mr. Amponsah also described the daily pressures faced by MMDCEs in handling requests from constituents.
“On any given day, the kind of people who come to your office with requests is too much,” he said.
Reflecting on his time as an MMDCE in the Eastern Region, he revealed challenges with illegal mining.
“Sometimes I feel sad because people even came to my office to bribe me and allow them to do galamsey,” he admitted.
He explained his firm stance against illegal mining.
“I refused because I thought about Ghana. I had the country at heart and didn’t want our forests destroyed. In my district, there were minerals, but during my time, I never allowed them to be mined illegally, and security protected those sites.”
Mr. Amponsah noted that his principled approach sometimes caused friction with traditional authorities.
“Even some chiefs had issues with me when I was leaving office because I didn’t allow illegal mining,” he said.
He added that the GH₵35,000 salary is justified, especially given the responsibilities and pressures of the role.
“If I wanted money, I could have allowed people to mine illegally and take payments while destroying the sites. But I thought about the country first,” he said.
He also disclosed the challenges former MMDCEs are currently facing.
“Even as a former MMDCE, if you are looking for a job, you may not get one. So imagine what someone without any support would do. The GH₵35,000 salary is what many rely on to take care of themselves,” he added.
His comments come amid reports that the government has increased salaries for MMDCEs to GH₵35,000.
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