President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced an increase in the allowances of Ghanaian peacekeepers from $31 to $35, effective January 2017, in fulfillment of a manifesto pledge of the New Patriotic Party in the run-up to the December 2016 elections.
Addressing the end-of-year get-together of the Ghana Armed Forces (WASSA), on Friday, March 10, 2017, President Akufo-Addo indicated a number of the pledges made in relation to the welfare of the Ghana Armed Forces have already been fulfilled within 2 months of his administrations’ life.
In realising the vision of a professional, well-disciplined and well-motivated Armed Forces, President Akufo-Addo noted that, during the first few weeks of his assumption of office, an amount of $13 million was released to clear the arrears owed peacekeepers, confident that “as I speak, no soldier is owed any monies arising from peacekeeping duties.”
The President, still on the matter of peacekeeping allowances, stated that “the decision has been taken to ensure that all military personnel, who embark on peacekeeping missions, will receive their allowances whilst on tour, and not when they arrive in Ghana after the completion of their duty tour.
No matter in which part of the world you find yourselves on peacekeeping duties, you will be paid your allowances there. That is the principle, and we are not going to go back on that. Peacekeeping monies are for peacekeepers.”
In fulfilment of the NPP’s manifesto pledge of improving the welfare of the Armed Forces, President Akufo-Addo indicated that his government “has increased the peacekeeping allowance, effective January 2017, from US$31 to US$35.”
This was met by spontaneous applause from the officers, men and women of the Armed Forces gathered at the venue.
The President also revealed that a legislative review of the Armed Forces (Amendment) Regulations of 1986 (LI 1332) has begun. Its purpose, he said, “is to extend the serving duration of “Other Ranks” from the current 25 years to 30 years, in fulfilment of the manifesto pledge we made. I want all Ghanaians to see me as a man of my word.”
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