General News of Monday, 22 June 2020

Source: mynewsgh.com

Parliament pays me GH¢11k but I give GH¢40k as 'chop money' to my 2 wives - Ken Agyapong

Kennedy Agyapong, Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong, Assin Central MP

Outspoken politician and Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central Kennedy Agyapong has revealed that even though he receives the highest pay from Parliament, the salary he earns is peanuts that cannot sustain his lifestyle given even the amount he gives to his two wives as money for upkeep, known as “chop money”.

Mr Agyapong said that he receives GH¢11, 000 as salary but gives GH¢20,000 each to his two wives as chop money

Assin Central Lawmaker on Atinka TV monitored by MyNewsGh.com on Monday said that most his colleagues in the legislature are poor because all they depend on is their salaries.

According to him, he is the highest-paid Member of Parliament (MP) because he has just taken car loan since he entered Parliament over 20 years ago.

“I receive GH¢11,000…[But] I pay chop money of GH¢20,000 to each of my two wives so if I am being paid an amount of GH¢11,000, how would I’ve lived on this amount of money? If I did not have investments I would have broken down by now. I take care of my constituents and even other constituents because I’ve invested and I’ve other businesses,” he noted.

He lamented some MPs are broke because they rely on Parliament to survive, calling for awards to be awarded companies of MPs so that they can make money to take care of their constituents.

Commenting on the recently held NPP parliamentary primaries, he said that new parliamentary entrants who were Chief Executives Officers of state-owned corporations had the advantage because they were able to raise money from their positions for campaign.