Top Judges Deny ‘Chopping’ Ex-Gratia

No Superior Court Judge in Ghana is or has ever been paid ex-gratia every four years as being wrongly stated in the media,, the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMIG) has clarified in a statement dated June 21, 2022.

The statement, signed by the AIMG President, Justice Henry Kwofie, its members have noted with dismay ongoing discussions in the media that Article 71 office holders including judges of the Superior Courts receive ex-gratia every four years.

It described the claim as a “false and malicious allegation” and explained that what the judges receive are legitimate arrears of salary also known as “back pay”

“It is these arrears of salary or back pay which is mischievously being described as ex-gratia in the press particularly on radio, television and on social media platforms by some seasoned journalists and so-called social commentators who never attempted to look for the truth”, the AIMG statement noted.

Below is the full statement unedited:

The Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMIG) has followed the discussions on the payment of Ex-Gratia to some Article 71 office holders and has noted with dismay the false and malicious allegation that judges of the Superior Courts ie. Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court Judges are paid ex-gratia at the end of every four (4) years.

The AMJG would like to state without any equivocation, whatsoever that, that allegation is false and baseless.

The Association would like to set the records straight as follows:

a) That, the salaries of Superior Court Judges ie. (Supreme Court Judges, Court of Appeal Judges and High Court Judges) are determined once every four (4) years by His Excellency the President on the recommendation of a Committee appointed by the President under Article 71(1) of the Constitution 1992.

b) That, if increases are effected in the salary as a result of the recommendations of the Committee, the judges are then paid arrears of salary commonly called Back pay arising from the back-dating of the salary increase.

c) This arrears of salary or back pay are accordingly paid in a lump sum or instalment. This has been the situation since 1996.

d) It is these arrears of salary or back pay which is mischievously being described as ex-gratia in the press particularly on radio, television and on social media platforms by some seasoned journalists and so-called social commentators who never attempted to look for the truth.

That the Association would like to state categorically that no Superior Court Judge is or has ever been paid ex-gratia every four years as being wrongly stated in the media,

Dated in Accra this 21* day of June 2022.
SIGNED
JUSTICE HENRY KWOFIE
PRESIDENT