Lawmaker gives conditions for 25% salary reduction

River Gee County District #3 Representative Francis S. Dopoh is giving conditions that must be met before reducing officials’ salaries by 25%, saying the reduction is encouraging, but it needs to be harmonized and many things be looked at.

Following President George Manneh Weah’s call for officials to follow his lead upon announcing on Monday, 29 January that he was reducing his own salary and benefits by 25 percent, Rep. Dopoh told reporters on Capitol Hill that to do the deduction, there are many things the government has to look at.

Though Rep. Dopoh claims he does not have problem with the 25 percent salary deduction, he however argues that there are many people in government who are paid by other entities and at the same time being paid government salaries.

The River Gee lawmaker insists that you cannot have a Minister making less and you have other Ministers making more, suggesting the need to harmonize salaries payments before carrying on the deduction of the 25%.

He says he thinks the step is appropriate when they can address the issue, adding that members of the House of Representatives are from various financial background and they can bring that to the table.

He notes that these conditions must be met on grounds that the President’s speech is a general speech, and they have to go beyond the point and make sure everything is harmonized.

President Weah on Monday said in view of the very rapidly deteriorating situation of the economy, he was with immediate effect, reducing his salary and benefits by 25% and giving the proceeds back to the Consolidated Fund for Allocation and Appropriation as they see fit. He urged officials to follow his lead in the interest of their constituents.

By Bridgett Milton–Edited by Winston W. Parley