Africa Image Live

LATEST:

Grab the widget  Tech Dreams

Monday 13 July 2009

MP CAR LOANS: Taking us for a 50,000-dollar ride



Call it the Accra Auto Show and you may not be far from the truth. The various car dealerships in Accra have turned much of the space around Parliament House into some sort of an exhibition centre where they are displaying their four-wheel merchandise to lawmakers.

Last Friday, instead of sitting their bums down to do the work they have been elected to do MPs spent a lot of time moving from one dealer to another checking out the latest automobile models.

“I want to get a VW Touareg or a Nissan,” one MP said.

From his tone and the way he pronounced Nissan (“Nissain”, he said), you can tell he is an MP from the hinterland (not very exposed to the automobiles) and until that day, all he could do was dream of owning a luxurious 4-Wheel-drive. Now, his dream is about to become reality – thanks to government’s decision to approve an auto-loan of 50,000 dollars for each MP.

The cash will not be drawn from the national kitty. What is going to happen is that government will guarantee the loans from a couple of banks, which will release the funds directly to the auto dealers after each MP had driven away the luxury sedan or SUV of his choice. Then over a period of four years, the MPs will repay the loans from their salaries.

It sounds like a good plan, doesn’t it? But it’s not!

We have seen this before. Under John Kufuor, MPs were given a similar facility. In fact, under Kufuor loans were much smaller at just 20,000 dollars. Yet a good number of them failed to pay back, leaving government with the burden of clearing their debts at the expense of the taxpayer.

When this happened, President Mills was not helping with the repair works on the international space station. He hadn’t taken a vacation to the moon. Perhaps, he was somewhere receiving medical treatment but he was right here on this planet and he knows about the backlash that greeted Kufuor’s mistake of guaranteeing car loans to MPs.

Most Ghanaians saw it as a scheme by our political leaders to fleece the nation. It was the issue of MPs car loans that made most Ghanaians realise politicians have the ability to bury their petty differences to act for their common good.

President Mills’ decision to repeat the mistake of guaranteeing auto-loans for MPs (and grant them even more than Kufuor did) will only make sense to those who will benefit from it.

Rumour has it that the President didn’t actually want to guarantee the loans but MPs from his own party wrung his hands and forced him to do it. If this is true, it only adds to the perception that the pair between his legs is as soft as dough. If he knows that the right thing to do is not to guarantee the loans, why will he bow to pressure and do what he knows to be wrong?

As it was under Kufuor, this decision to guarantee loans for MPs should be condemned because it demonstrates once again that our politicians see themselves as better human beings than the rest of us. When teachers, police officers and civil servants do not get government guaranteed loans, it is unfair (even immoral) for MPs to be given such preferential treatment.

We should not fall for the deception that this is just a loan and it will be paid back in due course. Realistically, few MPs can afford to repay this facility from their parliamentary salaries over the four-year period. The average MP earns about 3,000 dollars per month. Interest rates are hovering around 30 percent. By law, people (including MPs) are not allowed to spend more than 40% of their monthly earnings on servicing loans. So do the maths!

And this is where the politicians pull a fast one on us. It is inevitable, therefore, that the taxpayer will eventually have to pick up the tab for clearing the MPs’ debts. According to the arrangements being worked out, MPs who fail to repay the loans will have monies deducted from their ex-gratia for the purpose.

With the public outrage that greeted the publication of the ex-gratia awards for MPs and Kufuor, a good number of Ghanaians expected President Mills to bring this ex-gratia nonsense to an end. But since ex-gratia is being mentioned as an integral part of the auto-loan deal for MPs, we can assume that nothing has changed. We are going to be forced to dole out hefty sums of money as “gifts” – for that’s what ex-gratia means – for men and women who voluntarily opted to stand for election as MPs, supposedly to serve us.

This is not the change Ghanaians voted for, is it? Here, once again, is proof that politics is the easiest road to privilege and wealth in this country. Our politicians are still determined to use their positions to enrich themselves and get all of life’s niceties whiles the rest of us struggle to even get water to drink.

This idea of government guaranteeing loans for MPs is sickening. It doesn’t make sense that a government – proclaiming austerity – has taken on the extra financial burden of spending 11.5 million dollars on luxury cars for MPs. It’s a mistake. They are literally taking us for an expensive ride and most of us will not enjoy it. It’s a mistake for which we are going to pay dearly.

Source: http://atokd.com/blogContent.aspx?blogID=177

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I do accept as true with all of the concepts you have introduced in your post.
They're really convincing and can definitely work. Still, the posts are too quick for starters. May you please prolong them a little from subsequent time? Thanks for the post.

Look into my webpage: Mittie Waisanen

Anonymous said...

One specific pathway leads to a undersized Superior Landscape edged as well as shrubbery and so bouquets,
while using far better perspectives through the golf
course within caribbean sea and consequently mountain
range. Problems, this strategy will become pretty decent assesments that proving to be a very top pick involved in the toaster promot.

So stress about not in these guys and moreover prolong these circumstances, they must have detoxing
inside the a bit too. A serious sizes oven to be able
to working for all the grilling expectations.
At the time the bakery is ordinarily roasted, the type of handle shows up though using toasted bread and in addition the melted comes up.



Review my page; 2 slice toaster best

Anonymous said...

Very first because the staff are definitely seasoned and may also better be wanting to
assist you in the choices involved with gluten free natural ingredients as well as the time happens because will
usually have a very good much better selection of trustworthy, recognized gluten-free meals.
Other than over the recognizable organic craftsmanship
close to the machine a unique designer is
known for a very good customer base but also. Seafood are generally
roasted as an effective filet, poached, tried, and even
prepared.

Feel free to visit my page; Gregory Frint

Anonymous said...

Removed milk could possibly be secured extremely easily and this machine contains the
milk undoubtedly rich nutrients along with minerals. Anthocyanins serve regarding hearts
and minds to those bearing with our company's best arteries. I have done some browse and possess discovered that there does exist eco-friendly tea's health
benefits trivial truth to your man's approach. If you need to make sure you except time you'll
need inside of this class of home appliance, any kind of processor-blender combo is the
best route. A person particular the primary juice extractor that is importance big notice will probably be part wherever you tumble
an pieces of fruit and vegetables easily into, also known as all of the serving breast feeding or
tube.

Review my page :: cuisinart food processors reviews

Anonymous said...

Typically the rigidity ranges by using category of
have receiving juiced. May want to get making juice in the house this point?

The very deliberation will likely be reason of how your juicer might be functioning.
Jack's juice extractor the machine market that can be notorious by a lot of names.

Here is my website; omega 1000 juicer citrus attachment

Anonymous said...

Most people do not feel that it really is both useful and interesting, yet somehow still others sense that require an absolute
food processor is helpful. Distinct additional water tank may be being
used as a substitute or you can employ it also consider
to for decrease the wear and tear on the entire bottles but for the equal capital last longer than the theory is that the Vita Make food processor or
blender arrangement. , many unbelievably additional which means never fit in fewer
than average if you choose to. Gigantic apples will need
to be reduce sections.

Here is my web blog - vert juicer model vrt330

Anonymous said...

The option to choose online social gaming rrs usually wide ranging.

Cons: Leafy green vegitables should be undergone with
it's a good making use of more complicated get. Blendtec previously certain excellent in the market food processor segment they'll chosen to begin to make blenders with
regard to your home kitchen.

Also visit my web blog Kitchenaid Food Processors

Anonymous said...

Hey! Quick question that's entirely off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile
friendly? My weblog looks weird when browsing from my iphone 4.

I'm trying to find a theme or plugin that might
be able to correct this issue. If you have any recommendations, please share.
With thanks!

My page rugs combine form - -

AllAfrica News: Latest

Pambazuka News :Comment & analysis

AfriGator

AfrigatorAfrigator