Member of Parliament for Nadowli/Kaleo Constituency in the Upper West Region, Alban Babgin says he will gladly refund monies he may have been ‘overpaid’ as a former minister and a Member of Parliament should investigations establish the allegations against him.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen Thursday, Mr Bagbin who is also a flagbearer hopeful National Democratic Congress (NDC) said he may have been overpaid but can’t be said to have received double salary.
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Explaining the circumstances under which the overpayment may have happened, Mr Bagbin said MPs don’t receive salaries but are rather paid “on account”, a situation he says makes it difficult for you track any such possible overpayments.
Another reason that may make it possible for such overpayments to occur, he says, is when you are a minister who is constantly being moved around a lot.
Even more difficult, according to him, are the unplanned expenditure by MPs on their constituents that make it difficult for them to know whatever money may have entered or taken from their accounts in real time.
He has also indicated his readiness to repay whatever overpayments may have occurred to the state if it is proven that there actually was.
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The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has submitted to the Attorney General (AG) dockets of all former NDC ministers, who were allegedly caught in the double salary scandal, for advice.
The AG, according to sources, is studying the dockets and would soon take action on the issue which has generated heated political debate in recent times.
Already, some of the affected officials have been invited and interrogated by the Police CID.
But Mr Bagbin says once it takes a long time for Article 71 officer holders to know their salaries, it will be out of place for anyone to conclude whatever monies the former government officials were overpaid constituted double salary.
Notwithstanding, Mr Bagbin said the former government officials mentioned in the alleged double salary issue are cooperating with the Police CID.