• Rebecca Akufo-Addo has rejected the proposals from the emolument committee for her to be paid salaries

• She has bemoaned commentaries on the issue

• She will also refund monies she accrued as allowances since becoming first lady

The decision by the First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo to turn down the offer by the Prof Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu-led emolument committee for her and the second lady Samira Bawumia to be paid some form of salaries for their respective roles has generated diverse reactions on social media.

In a shocking turn of events on Monday, April 12, 2021, the First Lady declared that she was not going to accept the recommendations of the committee.

She also declared her intention to reimburse the state with the almost GH¢900,000 she has benefitted since her husband assumed office in 2017.

This decision, according to the First Lady has been necessitated by the attacks on her husband’s government in the wake of formalization of the work of the committee.

“The First Lady in consultation with the President of the Republic has decided to refund all the monies paid to her as allowances from the date of the President’s assumption of office, i.e., from January 2017 to date, amounting to GH¢899,097.84.

“The First Lady has also decided not to accept any monies that have been allocated to be paid to her pursuant to the recommendations of the Ntiamoa-Baidu committee, as approved by Parliament. She is doing this as a purely personal decision, without prejudice to the rights of others, and not to undermine the propriety of the process undertaken by Parliament.”

The reaction to this move has been quite contrasting. Whiles some commend her for the showing that she ‘is the mother of the nation’ who listens to the ‘cry’ of her people, others are pessimistic about the refund of the already taken salaries.

Some also believe that though she may not be directly paid, she will still enjoy similar benefits with her husband still at the helm of affairs.

There is also a call on Samira Bawumia, the second lady, former First and Second Ladies, Lordina Mahama and Matilda Amissah-Arthur to also refund what they enjoyed as allowances.

Below are the reactions

The First Lady says she has rejected the monthly salary she’s supposed to be given since 2017 LMAOO

As for me I’m not happy about this cos I know there are several ways they can still use to pay her that money without Ghanaians knowing about it ????????

— KELEWELE JOINT ???? (@ANKAMAGYIMI__) July 12, 2021

Reject the money to avoid public criticisms, Cashout in private???????? God bless the First Lady

— Lατιf???? (@iLatif_) July 13, 2021

Ghanaians bullied the First Lady to reject the monthly allowance allocated to her, it’s her constitutional right and i think she rejecting it was wrong.

— Saada ???????????? (@daddys_girltn) July 12, 2021

First Lady Becca rejects allowances… decides to refund all public funds already paid to her… pic.twitter.com/kCBiw7XqRM

— Richard Dela Sky (rD.s) (@RichardDelaSky) July 12, 2021

Record holder in Ghana so far ; the First Lady actually rejected 889,097.84 cedis. Eiiiii hmmm. How many ladies can do this??? pic.twitter.com/o4pd7Rj6ha

— Dr. Adel Benson PhD???????? ???????? (@be35607) July 12, 2021

Samira Bawumia seeing the First Lady has refunded the money pic.twitter.com/0vEsJmhN3Y

— Nungua Cardi B???? (@elly_serwaaa1) July 12, 2021

“The First Lady has refused to take the money” ???????????? but boys are saying they don’t believe , she go cash out low-key .. ????cbiaa wc trust issues

— ????Broken Heart ???? (@broken_heart490) July 12, 2021